FR Report COMETA (retired officers and officials; published privately)
The COMETA report, "UFOs and Defence: what should we prepare for?", is published
In July 1999 COMETA, a French association of former auditors of the Institut des Hautes Etudes de Defense Nationale and qualified experts, published "UFOs and Defence: what should we prepare for?" in a special issue of the magazine VSD. The copy on file is an English translation held by NASA, accompanied by a covering letter from Carol Rosin dated 30 April 2001. The report reviews French and foreign cases, the work of GEPAN and SEPRA, and hypotheses for the phenomena. It states that the hypothesis of craft of nonterrestrial origin "cannot be ruled out" and that, if correct, it would be loaded with consequences for defence. It recommends informing pilots, the public and decision-makers, and developing SEPRA's work.
1 document·5 points
- The report states it originally appeared in a special issue of the magazine VSD published in France in July 1999.
- It traces the subject to a 1976 IHEDN committee chaired by General Blanchard of the Gendarmerie Nationale, whose recommendations led to the creation of GEPAN, precursor to SEPRA within CNES.
- Part 1 presents three testimonies of French pilots, five aeronautical cases worldwide, three ground sightings and four close encounters in France, which the authors say have not been explained.
- The foreword is by Professor Andre Lebeau, former chairman of CNES, who writes that the report contributes toward stripping the phenomenon of UFOs of its irrational layer.
- The report proposes giving pilots information on how to act when faced with these phenomena, developing SEPRA's actions, and considering the strategic, political and religious consequences of a possible confirmation of the extraterrestrial hypothesis.
Documents
- Official release UFO's and Defense What Should we Prepare For National Aeronautics and Space Administration· 94 pp.