UFO's and Defense What Should we Prepare For

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Each gendarmerie force possesses a manual, the "gendarmerie handbook," which
contains all of the instructions on the procedures to be followed in the collection of data Ion unidentified aerospace phenomena. Depending on the degree ofcomplexity of the case
reported, the level of intervention may range from the simple transcript of a testimony to
an actual investigation, which may be conducted jointly with the GEP AN/SEPRA Idepartments at the locations of sightings and often results in an in-depth report.
6.2.2 Use of Data Collected by the Gendarmerie Nationale I
Once the information has been collected locally by the gendarmerie, it is forwarded in
the form ofa report to the Gendannerie Nationale headquarters in Paris, which issues a Icopy ofit to GEP AN/SEPRA. The latter processes it at two different levels:
- at the first level, the report is analyzed, then entered into a database, and perhaps is
processed statistically for the purpose of establishing classifications and typologies of Iphenomena,
- at the second level, which relates to more complex "UAP D" (category D unidentified
aerospace phenomena) cases, the investigation in the field generates a set of research Iactivities with respect to elements for furt her processing that results in the drafting ofa
detailed, in-depth investigation report~the report may be used for track interpretation
studies. I
6.2.3.Assessment and Results of the Cooperation with the Gendarmerie Nationale
ISince 1974, over 3,000 gendarmerie reports representing an average ofthree
spontaneous testimonies per document have been collected and forwarded to
GEP AN/SEPRA. Added to this are some one hundred investigations and interventions in Ithe field, conducted jointly with the local [gendarmerie] forces. AU of these have
permitted the characterization of a set of rare, natural and artificial phenomena that have
occurred with varying frequency which would not have been able to be identified without Ithis type of organization. Thanks to this collaboration, it has been possible to study UFO
cases like the Trans-en-Provence and "Amaranth" cases (see Chapter 4) under excellent
conditions, showing that there was a remnant of events the nature of which had yet to be Iidentified. A volume ofinformation describing the objectives sought by CNES in the
study of UFOs was widely disseminated to all of the regional [gendarmerie] forces.
Supplemental information and training, [end ofline cut off] direction ofofficers and Ilower-level gendarmes, is regularly provided by the Gendarmerie Nationale schools to
sensitize the [gendarmerie] force commanders to this subject.
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IThe results of this collaboration could be more effective. Regular updating of the data
collection procedures would be desirable, as well as shorter time delays before
intervention for investigations between the time the local [gendarmerie] force learns of the Icase and the time when SEPRA intervenes. This reduction in the intervention time would
considerably diminish the loss of information, particularly with respect to effects on the
environment. It would also be important fo r the gendarmerie forces to be routinely Iinformed of the results of work and investigations carried out by SEPRA. However, the
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