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."

• V
13 March 1953
The Honorable Val Peterson
Administrator, Federal Civil
Defense Administration
1930 Columbia Road, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr . Peterson:
The Director of Central Intelligence has asked ilhat you be
f'urnished a copy of the attached report prepared by a panel of
scientists on the subject of "Unidentified Flying Objects." This
panel was convened at the direction of General Smith, following the
r•commendation of the Intelligence Advisory Committee.
The conclusions and recommendations may be ot interest to you,
in that they point out certain potential dangers to national security,
which are related to the subject and suggest vaya of their elimination.
Although this Agency does not consider problems arising from
sightings of "flying saucers" primarily its concern, we shall be
pleased to ass i st in aey appropriate action that you may deem ad
visable.
Copies of this report a.re also being sent to the Secretary of
Defense and to the 6M1xm) ~:erM.eeal. See't:1'!'1~ :Res91.t"ce& Bomch-
' ~ f I •
i$ , s a , W. ~!Z{y~o::,s .
RICHARD D. DRAIN
Secretary
Intelligence Advisory Committee
Enclosure
Distribution:
Orig and l -- Dddressee
l -- DCI
l. -- DD/I
1 -- Ad.min Files
1 -- AD/SI
OIC:RDD:KR (13 March 1953)
••~rial contal::s Info
c,
n
er to
by