Black Vault compilation, pp. 91-93

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P~ECT BLUE BOOK
The United States Air Foree has the responsibility under the Oeputment or Defense for the
investigation of unidentified Qytng objects (Uros). The name of this program, which ha.s been in
operation since 1948, 1S Project Blue Book. It has been identified in the past a.s Project Sign and
Project Grudge.
Air Force interest in unidentified Qying objects IS related directly to the Air Force responsl·
bility for the air defense of the United States. Procedures for conducting this program are esta.b·
lished by Air Foree Regulation 200-2•
The objectives of Project Blue Book are two-fold: flrst, to determine whether UFOs pose a
threat to the security of the ·United States; and, seeonc:l, to determine •hether UFOs exhibit any
unique seientific information or a~aneed technology whieh could contribute to scientific or technical
research. In the course of aecompUsbing these objecUves, Project Blue Book strives to identify
and explain all UFO sigbtings reported to the Air Foree.
HOW TBE PBOGRAM IS CONDUCTED
The progrU!l iS conducted 1n three phases. The first phase includes receipt of UFO reports
and initial investigation of the reports. The Air Foree base nearest the location of a reported sight-
ing is charged with the r6ponsibUity of investigattnc the sighting and forwarding the information to
the Project Blue Book Office at Wright-Patterson Air Foree Ba.se, Ohio.
If the initial investiJation does not reveal a pos1Uve identification or explanation, a second
phase of more intensive analysts l.l condUcted by the Project Blue Book Office. Eaeh ease 1s objec-
tively and scient.Uically analyze<!, and., if necessary, all of the sc:ienti!lc facUities available to the
Air Force can be u.sed to assist in arrivine at an identification or explanation. All persoMel asso-
ciated with the investigation, analysiS, aDd evaluation efforts of the project view each report with
a. scientific approach and an open mmd.
The third phase of the program is dissemination of information concerning UFO sightings,
evaluations , and sUtistics. This is accomplished by the Secretary of the Air Force, OUice of In-
formation.
The Air Force defines an unidentified flying object as any aerial object which the observer is
unable to identify •
Reports of unfamiliar objects in the sky are submitted to the Air Force from many sources.
The5e sources include milit.uy and civillm pilots, weather observers, am1teur astronomers,
business and professional men and women, and housewives, etc.
Frequently such objects as missUes, balloons, birds, kites, searchlights, aircraft navigation
and anticollision be:u:o~ , jet engine exhaust, condensation trails, astronomic:U bodies and meteor-
ological phenomena are mistakenly reported as unidentified flying objects.
The Air Force groups its evaluations of UFO reports under three general headings: (1) identUied,
{2) insufficient dab, and (3) unidentified.
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