Why was the FBI made aware, of the 21 February 2021 "fast-moving" cylindrical object?

The Warzone

In an article dated 24 February 2021, the Warzone's Tylor Rogoway, reported on a statement made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning American Airlines Flight 2292's observation of a fast-moving, cylindrical object over New Mexico, on 21 February 2021. The statement read:

"A pilot reported seeing an object over New Mexico shortly after noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. FAA air traffic controllers did not see any object in the area on their radarscopes."

In an earlier article, dated 23 February 2021, Rogoway obtained the following statement from American Airlines:

"Following a debrief of our Flight crew and additional information received, we can confirm this radio transmission was from American Airlines Flight 2292 on Feb. 21. For any additional queries on this, we encourage you to reach out to the FBI."

Newspaper updates 

The 25 February 2021 edition of the "Albuquerque Journal," (imaged above) in an article by T. S. Last, reported that they had contacted the FBI about the incident, and that the FBI had responded:

"The FBI is aware of the reported incident," the agency replied to a Journal inquiry. 'While our policy is to neither confirm nor deny investigations, the FBI works continuously with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to share intelligence and protect the public.' "

The "Winnipeg Star" dated 26 February 2021, identified which FBI field office had made the comment.

"The FBI in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said they were aware of the reported incident, but neither confirmed nor denied the investigation, in an email to the Arizona Republic.

 A question arises

After reading all of the above, a question arose in my mind. "Why is the FBI involved in a reported observation of an unidentified object in the sky?" This question first arose for me in June 2020. On 17 June 2020, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence wrote Report 116-233. This report was in response to the contents of Bill S3905 "Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021."

In its report, under the heading "Advanced Aerial Threats," the committee wrote that it:

"...directs the DNI, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of such other agencies as the Director and Secretary jointly consider relevant, to submit a report within 180 days of the...on unidentified aerial phenomena..."

Later there appeared in the same report, that the committee directs that the report include:

"A detailed analysis of data of the FBI, which was derived from investigations of intrusions of unidentified aerial phenomena data over restricted United States airspace."

To me, this statement implies that the FBI has recently become involved in investigations into UAP, as well as drones. This would explain the fact that they were made aware of the 21 February 2021, New Mexico incident. This only leads to further questions, such as what is their mandate in UAP investigation? Who asked them to be involved? When?

Drones

The 2020 reported sightings of large drones, in formation, over parts of Colorado, Nebraska and Kansa in the U.S.A. saw the FAA leading a task force. Documents obtained by U.S. researcher Douglas D. Johnson, under the FOIA, disclosed that the FBI was part of this task force.

What is the FBI's actual legislated mission? According to their own website their mission is "To protect the American people and uphold the constitution of the United States." Their priorities are:

"* Protect the U.S. from terrorist attack

* Protect the U.S. against foreign intelligence, espionage and cyber operations

* Combat significant cyber criminal activity

* Combat public corruption at all levels

* Protect civil rights

* Combat transnational criminal enterprises

* Combat significant white-collar crime

* Combat significant violent crime."

Returning to my question

So, I ask, what area of the FBI's mission and priorities, would apply to the investigation of UAP? It seems to me that the only relevant one is "Protect the U.S. against foreign intelligence, espionage..." and the possibility that some UAP might include activities by foreign adversaries. 

I looked round for any relevant comment by the FBI itself, about why it might be involved in the investigation of drone sightings and UAP and found a statement by Deputy Assistant, Critical Incident Response Group, Scott Brunner, made in June 2018 to the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee concerning what he referred to as "Unmanned Aerial Systems."

"The FBI is concerned that criminals and terrorists will exploit UAS in ways that pose a serious threat to the safety of the American people. The UAS threat could take a number of forms, including illegal surveillance..."

So, back to my original question, "Why is the FBI involved in a reported observation of a unidentified object in the sky?" I can see the rationale for their interest in Unmanned Aerial Systems, i.e. drones, and their potential use to say, drop drugs inside jails; and for terrorists to use them to blow up an individual, but why their interest in  fast-moving cylindrical objects over remote New Mexico, at around 35,000 feet? 

In conclusion, I am currently unable to arrive at a satisfactory answer to my question. 

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Boston researcher Barry Greenwood for supplying various newspaper clippings, about the 21 February 2021 incident.

Update 2 March 2021

I received an email from U.S. researcher Mark Rodeghier who reminded me of an aircraft "near miss" case from 1997.

A report on the case by R. J. Durant in the September, 1999, issue of the MUFON Journal, gave details of the encounter by a Swissair Boeing 747, which "...experienced a "near miss" with a cylindrical "glowing white" object traveling almost directly toward the cockpit at very high speed...at 23,000 feet...in cloudless sky." The aircraft was travelling between Philadelphia and Boston in the U.S. at the time.

On page 4, Durant reveals "Subsequently, FAA notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) and both agencies assigned officers to attend the meeting with the Swissair pilots."

Durant's report is well worth a read in light of the 21 February 2021 incident. Other details may be read at http://www.nicap.org/970809swissair_dir.htm

Update 10 March 2021

Twitter-10 March 2021 Roger Glassel