CIA-UAP-002, Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects, Report, 1952-1953

This Central Intelligence Agency file gathers the 1953 Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects, dated January 17, 1953, and the papers that went with it. The panel was chaired by H. P. Robertson. It found no evidence that the phenomena were a direct threat to national security. It recommended stripping UFOs of their special status and aura of mystery and starting a public education program. The file also holds F. C. Durant's account of the meetings, 1952 CIA memos proposing research, and transmittal letters.

From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This file contains correspondence and reports dated 1952–1953 from the Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects, convened by the CIA’s Office of Scientific Intelligence. The panel’s primary conclusion was that “flying saucers” did not pose a direct physical threat to the national security of the United States. The panel found no evidence that these phenomena were attributable to hostile foreign artifacts or indicated a need to revise existing scientific concepts. However, the panel identified a significant indirect threat stemming from the public’s fascination with the subject. The panel concluded that the high volume of reports, encouraged by a "sensationalist press," could overwhelm and clog vital intelligence and communication channels, potentially distracting from genuine threats. Furthermore, they warned that a “morbid national psychology” could be exploited by adversaries to incite “hysterical behavior and harmful distrust of duly constituted authority.” To mitigate these risks, the panel recommended an official policy of “debunking” to “strip the UFO subject of its mystery,” alongside a training initiative for military personnel to better recognize and filter out misidentified objects, thereby reducing communication “noise” and allowing the national security apparatus to focus on more "legitimate defense concerns."

Mira"• ·(a •~ 1n tho J)Gl'Choloa ot panicII written about the ramoua
Orson Walles radio broadcast 1n 19~8) and baa aiDDe partormed advamed
labcratclr7 studies 1n the f'ield of perception. The names ot Don Marquis
(Un1versit7 ot Mlcbigan) am Lao Rosten ware mentioned aa posaibq
IN1table aa consultant P91Vhologiata. Also, somaona t'az,U:far with
_,.,, 6Qliii1Dd.cat1on techniques, perhaps an ad'lm-tising expert;, vould be
helpful. Arthur ~87 was JD8Utj.oned aa poasib4' a valuable channel
of earmamtr..ation rea.ching·a mass ·sudience ot certain levels. Dr. Bm-~
suggested the- U. s. Navy (OliR) Special Devices Center, Sama Point, Lo I.,
as a potmrt.1al.q valuable argan:1zat1cm to uaist 1n such an ~tioml
program• . The tescb1ng teclm1quos used by this ageDC7 ror ah-craft
identification during the JBSt 'War was cited as an aample or a s1m1lar
educational task. The Jam Handy Co. which made World War n tra1D1ng
t1lms (motion picture am ·slide strips) was al.Bo suggested, as·well as
Walt DianG",Y, Inc. animated cartoon.!I. Dr. Hynek euggested that the
anateur ut,ronomara 1n the u. s. might be a potential source of enthusi•
aatic talent "to spl"ead the gospel•. It was believed that busin8aa
clubs, high achools, colleges, and telme:f.on stationa would all be
pleased to cooperate 1n the showing o\:" d0%Nmentar,' type mtion pictures
if' prepared in an interesting mmmer. The uae ot true cases shO'ldng
tirst the "mystery' am then the "explnnation• would ba forcetulo
To plan am emcute such a pr-ogra,. the Panel believed was no
mean task. The current· investigatory r,:-oup at ATIC would, ot necessity,
have to be cloa~ intear&ted tor supp,n-t with respect to not only the