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INFORMATION CONCERNING
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NOTE |
In 1952, in the aftermath of the infamous UFO sightings over Washington, D.C., the Department of Defense prepared a memorandum on the current state of knowledge about flying saucers and military investigations into them to use as a template for public communication. The resulting unsigned memo, echoing earlier statements, said that there was no satisfactory conclusion to draw and that space aliens, while unlikely, could not be ruled out. Of special interest is the section claiming flying saucers to have been witnessed across the centuries, back to biblical times, a claim Maj. Gen. John A. Samford, the head of Air Force intelligence, had made at a July 1952 press conference when he said, "We know that reports of this kind go back to Biblical times."
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
WASHINGTON, D. C.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
WASHINGTON, D. C.
The following information concerning Air Force investigations of unusual aerial phenomena is submitted in answer to your request.
In the Fall of 1947 the United States Air Force took official notice of reports of so‑called “flying saucers” because the reports from the public indicated that the problem might be related to the Air Force responsibility for the air defense of the United States.
On December 30, 1947 the Air Force directed its Air Materiel Command, at Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, to set up a project to collect and evaluate all available facts concerning “flying saucer” sightings.
To perform this task the Air Materiel Command obtained the services of civilian and military astronomers, psychologists, electronic specialists, meteorologists, aeronautical engineers, and physicists.
On December 27, 1949, after 375 reported sightings had been investigated, the Air Force, with the concurrence of the Army and the Navy, announced the findings of the “flying saucer” project.
The evidence at that time indicated that the majority of the reports of unidentified flying objects could be accounted for as misinterpretations of various conventional objects, a mild form of hysteria, meteorological phenomena, light aberrations, or hoaxes.
There remained, however, a number of unexplained sightings, and the Air Force has continued its investigations inasmuch as it is an Air Force responsibility to identify and analyze aerial phenomena that could possibly be a menace to the United States.
Subsequent to December 1949, these investigations have been conducted as a normal intelligence function, rather than a special project, by the Air Technical Intelligence Center, Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.
To date, the Air Force has undertaken to investigate and analyze about 1500 reports dealing with these phenomena. As before, most of the reports were identified and disposed of as friendly aircraft erroneously reported, known electronic and meteorological phenomena, light aberrations, hoaxes, and other known natural occurrences or man‑made objects.
The unexplained reports, however, which are in the order of 20 percent of the total, cannot be definitely associated with these familiar things.
In the Fall of 1947 the United States Air Force took official notice of reports of so‑called “flying saucers” because the reports from the public indicated that the problem might be related to the Air Force responsibility for the air defense of the United States.
On December 30, 1947 the Air Force directed its Air Materiel Command, at Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, to set up a project to collect and evaluate all available facts concerning “flying saucer” sightings.
To perform this task the Air Materiel Command obtained the services of civilian and military astronomers, psychologists, electronic specialists, meteorologists, aeronautical engineers, and physicists.
On December 27, 1949, after 375 reported sightings had been investigated, the Air Force, with the concurrence of the Army and the Navy, announced the findings of the “flying saucer” project.
The evidence at that time indicated that the majority of the reports of unidentified flying objects could be accounted for as misinterpretations of various conventional objects, a mild form of hysteria, meteorological phenomena, light aberrations, or hoaxes.
There remained, however, a number of unexplained sightings, and the Air Force has continued its investigations inasmuch as it is an Air Force responsibility to identify and analyze aerial phenomena that could possibly be a menace to the United States.
Subsequent to December 1949, these investigations have been conducted as a normal intelligence function, rather than a special project, by the Air Technical Intelligence Center, Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.
To date, the Air Force has undertaken to investigate and analyze about 1500 reports dealing with these phenomena. As before, most of the reports were identified and disposed of as friendly aircraft erroneously reported, known electronic and meteorological phenomena, light aberrations, hoaxes, and other known natural occurrences or man‑made objects.
The unexplained reports, however, which are in the order of 20 percent of the total, cannot be definitely associated with these familiar things.
Difficulty in Evaluating Reports
The difficulty in disposing of these unexplained reports is based largely upon the insufficiency of accurate basic data such as size, shape, composition and flight characteristics (speed, acceleration, altitude, exact maneuver pattern, etc.) of the objects.
Although some instruments which are useful in obtaining more accurate data of this type have been available, the reports based on sightings with these instruments have been very infrequent and comprise an extremely small percentage of the total. Moreover, even these reports have not included much of the information required.
Because of the inadequacy of this basic data, the Air Force has in the past devoted its efforts primarily to determining whether these unexplained sightings indicated the existence of a menace to the United States. Initially it was believed that some pattern might evolve from the study of a large volume of reports. To date, no pattern has materialized to reveal anything whatsoever which can be interpreted as indicative of purpose or consistency or which can be construed as a menace to the United States. Nonetheless, since these unexplained sightings persist, the Air Force will continue its investigations, giving the problem adequate but not frantic attention.
It is now felt, however, that reports from people whose training and experience in observing aerial objects qualify them to obtain essential data are the only ones likely to produce material suitable for systematic analysis. The Air Force is planning to provide additional tools to help these observers obtain the basic data it needs.
Reports of similar phenomena go back to Biblical times. There have been flurries of them in various centuries. The current series of sightings began generally in 1946.
There are many reasons why the volume of these reports has increased materially during the past few years. Aerial activity originated by man has increased, and people today have a greater curiosity about this activity than before. Also, our present efficient communication facilities and news media provide an incentive for reporting unusual observations, for publicizing them and for recording them. However, the ability to measure these phenomena does not seem to have advanced in step with opportunities for observing them. The Air Force believes that most of these phenomena will gradually be understood as more is known about occurrences in the upper atmosphere.
Although some instruments which are useful in obtaining more accurate data of this type have been available, the reports based on sightings with these instruments have been very infrequent and comprise an extremely small percentage of the total. Moreover, even these reports have not included much of the information required.
Because of the inadequacy of this basic data, the Air Force has in the past devoted its efforts primarily to determining whether these unexplained sightings indicated the existence of a menace to the United States. Initially it was believed that some pattern might evolve from the study of a large volume of reports. To date, no pattern has materialized to reveal anything whatsoever which can be interpreted as indicative of purpose or consistency or which can be construed as a menace to the United States. Nonetheless, since these unexplained sightings persist, the Air Force will continue its investigations, giving the problem adequate but not frantic attention.
It is now felt, however, that reports from people whose training and experience in observing aerial objects qualify them to obtain essential data are the only ones likely to produce material suitable for systematic analysis. The Air Force is planning to provide additional tools to help these observers obtain the basic data it needs.
Reports of similar phenomena go back to Biblical times. There have been flurries of them in various centuries. The current series of sightings began generally in 1946.
There are many reasons why the volume of these reports has increased materially during the past few years. Aerial activity originated by man has increased, and people today have a greater curiosity about this activity than before. Also, our present efficient communication facilities and news media provide an incentive for reporting unusual observations, for publicizing them and for recording them. However, the ability to measure these phenomena does not seem to have advanced in step with opportunities for observing them. The Air Force believes that most of these phenomena will gradually be understood as more is known about occurrences in the upper atmosphere.
Source of Reports
The majority of reports of aerial phenomena have come from civilians. About 8 percent come from civil airlines pilots, while approximately 25 percent are reported by military personnel. Reports have been received also from highly qualified scientists. Although primary significance is attached to reports from qualified observers, there is no intention to discredit untrained observers.
Radar Sightings
The Air Force has received many reports of unusual images on radar scopes. It is fairly well established that some of those images are ground objects reflected from a layer of warm air above the earth (a temperature inversion).
Temperature inversion reflections can give a return on a radar scope that is as sharp as that received from an aircraft. Speed ranges of these returns are reportedly from zero to fantastic speeds. The “objects” also appear to move in all directions.
Such radar sightings have resulted in hundreds of fruitless intercept efforts.
One scientific theory holds that light can be similarly reflected from a layer of warm air above the earth and, if proven to be correct, this could account for some visual sightings.
Bearing out the theory of temperature inversion reflection is an incident which occurred in January 1951 near Oakridge, Tennessee. Two Air Force aircraft attempted to intercept an unidentified “object” and actually established a radar “lock” on the object. Their altitude at the time was 7,000 feet. The unidentified object, according to their radar, appeared to be at an elevation of 10 to 25 degrees. Three passes were made in an attempt to close on the object. In each instance the pilots reported that their radar led them first upward and then down toward a specific point on the ground.
Ionized clouds are believed to be the cause of some unidentified radar returns. Thunderstorm activity is identifiable by radar, and radar is used for the purpose of avoiding thunderstorms. In addition, radar has picked up many objects first reported as “unidentified phenomenon” which were later identified as aircraft, birds, balloons, ice formations in the air, or other known aerial objects or manifestations.
Temperature inversion reflections can give a return on a radar scope that is as sharp as that received from an aircraft. Speed ranges of these returns are reportedly from zero to fantastic speeds. The “objects” also appear to move in all directions.
Such radar sightings have resulted in hundreds of fruitless intercept efforts.
One scientific theory holds that light can be similarly reflected from a layer of warm air above the earth and, if proven to be correct, this could account for some visual sightings.
Bearing out the theory of temperature inversion reflection is an incident which occurred in January 1951 near Oakridge, Tennessee. Two Air Force aircraft attempted to intercept an unidentified “object” and actually established a radar “lock” on the object. Their altitude at the time was 7,000 feet. The unidentified object, according to their radar, appeared to be at an elevation of 10 to 25 degrees. Three passes were made in an attempt to close on the object. In each instance the pilots reported that their radar led them first upward and then down toward a specific point on the ground.
Ionized clouds are believed to be the cause of some unidentified radar returns. Thunderstorm activity is identifiable by radar, and radar is used for the purpose of avoiding thunderstorms. In addition, radar has picked up many objects first reported as “unidentified phenomenon” which were later identified as aircraft, birds, balloons, ice formations in the air, or other known aerial objects or manifestations.
Policy Regarding Attempted Interception
No orders have been issued by the Air Defense Command to its fighter units to fire on unidentified aerial phenomena. The Air Defense Command is charged with air defense of the United States, and its mission is to attack anything airborne which is known or appears to be hostile. This should not be interpreted to mean that our pilots will fire haphazardly on anything that flies.
Attempts at interception are not made every time that unidentified images appear briefly on an Air Force radar-scope. Current Air Force interceptors are short-range, short-duration, high-speed aircraft and can be employed most effectively when it is possible to track a target by visual or radar means so that its position in the air at some future time may be predicted with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Attempts at interception are not made every time that unidentified images appear briefly on an Air Force radar-scope. Current Air Force interceptors are short-range, short-duration, high-speed aircraft and can be employed most effectively when it is possible to track a target by visual or radar means so that its position in the air at some future time may be predicted with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Methods of Evaluating
The first step in evaluating sightings of unusual aerial phenomena is to collect all available data and check it against known airborne objects such as balloons, aircraft, missiles, meteors, and weather phenomena. If still unexplained, reports from reliable sources, with sufficient details, are turned over to specialists in various scientific fields for further analysis.
Future Plans for Evaluating
As stated earlier, there is a need for better reports from trained observers using adequate equipment. The Air Force intends to implement its present study with instruments wherever possible.
The recent development of special photographic equipment may make it possible to gather data hitherto unobtainable through ordinary photographic methods. This equipment consists of a diffraction grating camera which separates light into its component parts (spectrum) and registers them on film. The principle involved is that used by astronomers in determining the composition of the stars. In this manner Air Force scientists may be able to determine the characteristics of the phenomena and subsequently identify the source.
Another proposal involves the use of a continuously operating Schmidt telescope equipped with a camera. This telescope has a wide aperture lens and is capable of covering a cone of 150 degrees or nearly the whole sky from horizon to horizon. This equipment will make it possible to get on a series of photographic plates a complete record of what happens in the sky at night.
The recent development of special photographic equipment may make it possible to gather data hitherto unobtainable through ordinary photographic methods. This equipment consists of a diffraction grating camera which separates light into its component parts (spectrum) and registers them on film. The principle involved is that used by astronomers in determining the composition of the stars. In this manner Air Force scientists may be able to determine the characteristics of the phenomena and subsequently identify the source.
Another proposal involves the use of a continuously operating Schmidt telescope equipped with a camera. This telescope has a wide aperture lens and is capable of covering a cone of 150 degrees or nearly the whole sky from horizon to horizon. This equipment will make it possible to get on a series of photographic plates a complete record of what happens in the sky at night.
What “Saucers” Are Not
The Air Force has stated in the past, and reaffirms at the present time, that these unidentified aerial phenomena are not a secret weapon, missile or aircraft, developed by the United States. None of the three military departments nor any other agency in the government is conducting experiments, classified or otherwise, with flying objects which could be a basis for the reported phenomena. As far as is known there is nothing in them that is associated with material or vehicles that are directed against the United States, from another country or from other planets.
Your interest in this matter is greatly appreciated. Please call upon us if we may be of further service.
Sincerely yours,
Your interest in this matter is greatly appreciated. Please call upon us if we may be of further service.
Sincerely yours,
