The CIA used a previously undisclosed technology called “Ghost Murmur” to locate and rescue an American airman shot down in southern Iran, according to The Post. The system, employing long-range quantum magnetometry and artificial intelligence, detects the electromagnetic fingerprint of a human heartbeat and isolates it from background noise. This marked the tool’s first operational use, and both President Trump and CIA Director John Ratcliffe referenced it during a White House briefing. The airman, identified publicly only as “Dude 44 Bravo,” survived two days in a mountain crevice before being found.

Sources told The Post that Ghost Murmur was developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division and had been tested on Black Hawk helicopters for potential use on F-35 jets. The barren desert terrain provided ideal conditions for the technology’s debut, with minimal electromagnetic interference and strong thermal contrast aiding detection. The system’s sensitivity stems from advances in quantum magnetometry using synthetic diamond sensors, though it requires significant processing time and works best in low-clutter environments.

The CIA’s success in confirming the airman’s survival triggered the mission’s execution phase, with Trump praising the agency’s performance and hinting at the classified nature of the technology.