One of "Their's", one of "Our's" or something from beyond?

Many are talking about the event of October 25 over Northern California and Oregon involving an unidentified white craft flying through FAA controlled airspace. Knowledge of this event was initially limited to those directly involved then percolated through the aviation career field. Diminutive details were eventually shared with a few including Tyler Rogoway who researched and wrote an article he posted on thedrive.com about the occurrence. The article provides known details at time written including confirmation the event occurred.

A craft flying between 35,000-37,000 feet approximately 750kts northbound was observed at FAA Oakland Center on radar and was found to not be broadcasting a transponder identification and information code. The craft was visually confirmed and observed from a distance and reported by commercial pilots with the last known position being around the Eugene, Portland area. Based on information gather and reported in Mr. Rogoway's article it seems while the craft was able to be tracked by other pilots the FAA was able to maintain an approximate location and track through FAA controlled airspace. 

According to the Air Force North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) F-15s from the 142

NT-34A over Death Valley
Photo courtesy Joe Decker

Fighter wing were dispatched out of PDX Portland to intercept and investigate however based on the information gathered the fighters were instructed to go in the opposite direction of the craft's approximate location. Having worked with air traffic controllers I can say that they take their responsibility for safety of flight seriously. The idea seems a bit odd that Air Force air traffic controllers during such an unusual event, that being of an unidentified craft traversing controlled airspace populated with commercial aircraft, would forget their left from right and send the fighters in the wrong direction by mistake.

The article references an individual reporting a call from the 142FW at PDX to cease inquires regarding the incident and speculation is made the aircraft may have been an Air Force relatively secret and modified 737-200 identified as NT-43A or the "Rat 55". According to another of Mr. Rogoway's articles posted on Foxtrot Alpha the NT-43A employees unique and advance radar to test stealth technologies and assess multiple characteristics to understand the strengths and weaknesses of test aircraft's stealth technologies.

Many have speculated the craft to possibly have been a UFO and that it made an abrupt turn that known aircraft today could not withstand. The advances in airframe technology being developed today undoubtedly enable beta test aircraft to handle maneuvers that would cause a commercial craft to fall from the sky. Although the craft was most certainly unidentified, and based on the information available it does not appear to have been an Unconventional Flying Object.

In Mr. Rogoway's research the FAA refused to comment or even acknowledge the event and though NORAD did acknowledge F-15s were dispatched the 142FW refused to comment. This may have been an instance of a relatively secret aircraft "quietly" traveling through FAA controlled civilian air space and getting caught doing so. The alternative could be an aircraft from a foreign power trying to "take a peak" at our defenses but then if that were the case, chances are strong the F-15s would have definitely not been dispatched in the wrong direction. 

Let me know what you think, Unconventional Flying Object, a Foreign aircraft testing the waters or one of our own taking a shortcut but not asking forgiveness? I'm interested to know your thoughts.