nas re1

2. On defense. (a) Is there evidence that UFO sightings may represent
a defense hazard? No such evidence came to light in the study. This,
however, was not an objective of the study and was properly construed
as a Department_of Defense matter. (b) The Report states: "The history
or the past 21 years has repeatedly led Air Force officers to the conclusion
that none of the things seen, or thought to have been seen, which pass
by the name or UFO reports, constituted any hazard or threat to national
security."
We concur with the position described in (a). As to (b), we found
no evidence in the Report or other literature to contradict the guoted
statement.
3. On future UFO sightings. "The question remains ~ to what,
if anything, the federal government should do about the UFO reports
it receives from the general public?" The Report found no basis for
activity related to such sighting reports "in the expectation that they
are going to contribute to the advance of science," but the Department of
Defense should handle these in its normal surveillance operations with-
out need for such special units as Project Blue Book.
We concur in this recommendation.
4-8. On further investigation. ( 4) should the federal government
"set up a major new agency, as some have suggested for the scientific ~
study or UFOs"? The study round no basis for recommendation or this
kind. (5) Would further extensive study of UFO sightings contribute
to science? "Our general conclusion is that nothing has come from the
study of UFOs in the past 21 years that has added to scientific know-
ledge. The Repor-t then notes that specific research topics may warrant
consideration: (6) "There are important areas of atmospheric optics,
including radio wave propagation, and or atmospheric electricity in
which present knowledge is quite incomplete. These topics come to our
attention in connection with the interpretation of some UFO reports,
but they are also of fundamental scientific interest, and they are relevant
to practical problems related to the improvement of safety of military
and civilian flying. Research efforts are being carried out in these
areas by the Department of Defense, the Environmental Science Services
Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and
by universities and nonprofit research organizations such as the National
Center for Atmospheric Research, whose work is sponsored by the National
Science Foundation."
The Report also observes (7) that UFO reports and beliefs are also
of interest to "the social scientist and the communications specialist."
In these areas particularly-- i.e., (6) and (7) --the study suggests
(8) that "scientists with adequate training and credentials who do come
up with a clearly defined, specific proposal" should be supported, implying
that normal competitive procedures and assessments of proposals should
be followed here as is customary.
Attachment 2, pg 8