Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency release, dated 2000-01-06, holds a draft memorandum from the Director of Central Intelligence to the Secretary of Defense and an Intelligence Advisory Committee cover sheet. The memo says the Air Force has received about 1500 official sighting reports, of which about 20% remain unexplained, and that the situation may affect national security. It recommends an expanded Defense Department scientific research program working closely with intelligence. It also asks the Watch Committee to watch for Russian actions related to flying saucers.
“Cooper”1 page
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
MONTLANDON FOR: Secretary of Defense [alternatively: The NSC]
SUBJET: Unidentified Flying Objects (Flying Saucers)
1. The IAC has reviewed the current situation concerning unidentified flying objects which have caused extensive occupation in the press and have been the subject of concern to Government organizations. The Air Force within the limitations of manpower which could be devoted to the subject, thus far carried the full responsibility for investigating and analyzing individual reports of sightings. Since 1967, approximately 1500 official reports of sightings have been received and, of these, about 20% are as yet unexplained.
0. It is my view and that of the IAG that this situation has possible implications for our national security with respect to the vulnerability of the U.S. to air attack. Intelligence, however, cannot discharge its responsibilities with regard to estimating the capabilities of an enemy to create and use such phenomena against the U.S. unless we first determine through scientific research whether or not such phenomena can in fact be generated and controlled by humans.
3. It is therefore recommended that the Department of Defense (be directed to) undertake an expanded scientific research program to reveal the nature of the various phenomena which are causing these eightings and means by which these phenomena may be identified immediately. It is also recommended that in such a project there be close cooperation between those conducting the research and scientific and technical intelligence research.
The IAC agmation are prepared to do their part in such a project. $ ^{*} $USAF Declassification/Release Instructions On File $ ^{*} $
Approved For Release 2002/06/10 : CIA-50A000100090137-9 Security Information Not linked to a story yet.
FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 2 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.