UFO files briefing guide

11
Ten UFO correspondence files were opened in March 2011 including DEFE 24/1986/1
(1997) and DEFE 24/1997/1 and DEFE 24/1999/1 (1998).Files DEFE 24/2023-2027/1
and 2037-39/1 contain correspondence from 2001-2003. DEFE 24/2060/1, containing
correspondence from 2004 was opened in August 2011. Two additional files containing
correspondence from 2006 and 2007 were opened in July 2012 at DEFE 24/2084/1 and
DEFE 24/2089/1.
UFO sighting report files opened in March 2011 include DEFE 24/2021/1 (covering
2001, with two annexes containing colour images), DEFE 24/2022/1, DEFE 24/2036/1.
DEFE 24/2058/1-59/1 (2003-2005). Four files opened in August 2011 include UFO
sightings 2001 at DEFE 24/2020/1, sightings reported in 2002-3 at DEFE 24/2035/1,
sightings 2006 at DEFE 24/2082/1 and sightings in 2007 at DEFE 24/2081/1. Two files
containing sighting reports from March 2006 and December 2007 were opened in July
2012 at DEFE 24/2083/1 and DEFE 24/2088/1.
One file containing Press Cuttings on UFOs from 1996-2002, collected and annotated by
MoD UFO desk officers, was opened in August 2011 at DEFE 24/2047/1. A second file,
covering press cuttings 2004-2008 was opened in July 2012 at DEFE 24/2093/1.
DEFE 31 contains a series of UFO records created by the Defence Intelligence Staff
branch DI55 and their predecessors, Air Ministry DDI (Tech). Policy files are DEFE
31/118 and DEFE 31/119. UFO report files include DEFE 31/171 (1975-76) and DEFE
31/163 through to DEFE 31/167 (1979). Four files in the DI55 UFO reports sequence
were opened in May 2008. These are DEFE 31/172/1 (UFO reports 1978-1983), DEFE
31/173/1 (UFO reports June 1983-March 1985), DEFE 24/174 (UFO reports April 1985-
December 1986) and DEFE 31/175/1 (UFO reports December 1986-November 1987).
Six DI55 UFO files were opened in March 2009. DEFE 31/1976/1 - DEFE 31/181/1
contain details of reports received by DI55 between November 1987 and April 1993.
Seven DI55 files were opened in August 2011, covering sighting reports received from
April 1993-July 1996. These can be found at DEFE 31/182/1-DEFE 24/187/1. The
remaining UFO incidents files containing reports copied to DI55 between August 1996
and February 1999 were released in July 2012 at DEFE 31/189/1-DEFE 31/194/1.
DI55‟s report „Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defence Region‟ was
completed in 2000. From that point onwards the branch were removed from the
distribution list of UFO reports received by MoD.
Details of some well-documented UFO sightings investigated by the Air Ministry and
Ministry of Defence can be found by searching the reports files. AIR 2/18564 and AIR
20/9320 contain reports from various RAF stations including RAF West Freugh in 1957.
The West Freugh incident involved the tracking of UFOs by a number of trailer-mounted
radar units at a RAF bombing range in southern Scotland. It led to national interest when
the story leaked to the press. Newspaper stories led to questions in Parliament and at
the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC). A report on the incident prepared by DDI (Tech)
contains in its conclusions what is possibly the closest the Air Ministry ever got to
recognition that some UFOs remained inexplicable and therefore of possible defence
interest. The report stated: „It is concluded that the incident was due to the presence of
five reflecting objects of unidentified type and origin. It is considered unlikely that they
were conventional aircraft, meteorological balloons or charged clouds‟ (AIR 20/9321).