Karl E. Nell is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and multi-disciplinary engineer. He commanded at every grade through colonel in the Army Reserve and held senior roles at Bell Labs, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and ENSCO.
Nell served as Army Director supporting the UAP Task Force from 2021 to 2022. He publicly stated non-human intelligence exists and interacts with humanity, and that recovered non-human technologies are held by U.S. government elements.
- Graduated University of Pennsylvania with electrical engineering degree; holds master's degrees from Boston University and U.S. Army War College.
- Activated the Army's newest expeditionary military intelligence brigade supporting XVIII Airborne Corps and JSOC.
- Served as Army Director supporting the UAP Task Force 2021–2022 and contributed to UAP language in NDAA 2022 and 2023.
- Stated at 2023 Sol Foundation symposium and 2024 SALT conference that non-human intelligence exists and interacts with humanity.
- Corroborated whistleblower David Grusch's claims in June 2023.
- United StatesCitizen
- U.S. ArmyColonel (Retired)
- U.S. Army ReserveColonel, brigade command
- Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task ForceArmy Director 2021–2022
- Bell Telephone LaboratoriesMember of Technical Staff 1994–1996
- Lockheed MartinSenior Systems Engineer 1996–1998
- Northrop GrummanDeputy CTO 1998–2011
- U.S. Africa CommandDeputy Chief of Staff 2016–2018
- Army Futures CommandModernization Advisor 2018–2022
Background
Karl E. Nell graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering after completing a four-year ROTC scholarship. He entered active duty and served as Commander and Operations Officer with U.S. Space Command from 1990 to 1994, overseeing military satellite communications systems including a satellite ground station with war trace to the Joint Chiefs.
After leaving active duty, Nell worked as a Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1994 to 1996. He then joined Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space as Senior Systems Engineer and Lead SATCOM SRE from 1996 to 1998, focusing on satellite and related systems engineering.
Nell spent 13 years at Northrop Grumman from 1998 to 2011 in roles including Deputy CTO and Director of Systems Engineering and Integration. During this period he supported programs for agencies including DIA, NRO, DARPA, and NGA, and held a concurrent Army Reserve assignment as Foreign Material Program command representative to USCENTCOM during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In the Army Reserve, Nell commanded the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion starting in 2009 and turned around the underperforming unit. He later activated the Army's newest expeditionary military intelligence brigade aligned to XVIII Airborne Corps and Joint Special Operations Command.
Nell served as Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Africa Command from 2016 to 2018, managing operations for a 2,000-service-member headquarters. He also held the role of Chief Strategy Officer for the U.S. Army Reserve from 2013 to 2015 during a major restructuring.
From 2018 to 2022 Nell served as Modernization Advisor to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army at Army Futures Command. He recommended actions on 32 high-priority acquisitions and helped create the $107-million Project Convergence program for sensor-to-shooter integration.
Nell's final military assignment was as Army Director supporting the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force from 2021 to 2022. His engagements with Defense Department and congressional leaders contributed to UAP provisions in the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2022 and 2023.
Nell retired from the Army as a Colonel in 2022. He had previously worked at CACI and ENSCO, including as Vice President and General Manager of ENSCO's National Security Solutions Division in 2015–2016.
In June 2023 Nell publicly corroborated David Grusch's claims regarding reverse-engineering programs for technologies of unknown origin, describing Grusch as beyond reproach. He affirmed that at least some such technologies derive from non-human intelligence.
At the November 2023 Sol Foundation symposium at Stanford, Nell stated without qualification that non-human intelligence exists and has interacted with humanity. He advocated for controlled disclosure by 2030 to avoid catastrophic outcomes and discussed the Schumer amendment provisions on eminent domain over technologies of unknown origin.
Where They Are Now
As of October 2026, Karl E. Nell serves as CEO of StarDustX Materials, Inc., a metamaterials startup he founded. He continues to speak publicly on UAP topics, including at the 2024 SALT iConnections conference where he stated there is zero doubt that non-human intelligence exists and interacts with humanity.
Nell remains active in aerospace and defense strategy circles and has contributed policy papers through the Sol Foundation advocating for structured UAP disclosure frameworks.
Last updated 25 October 2026