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MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1

The Black Vault · 492 pages · text from the file's own layer

This Ministry of Defence file, released through The National Archives and published by The Black Vault, holds the MOD's 2002 handling of Dr David Clarke's requests for UFO documents under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. It includes the MOD's 9 December 2002 reply, which covered reports from 1976, 1980, 1993 and 1996 and charged £260. It also contains internal emails and file requisitions, plus Foreign Office and United Nations papers from 1978 on Grenada's proposal for UFO research.

  • p. 7 …The work has taken 21 hours and 20 minutes to complete and as, indicated in my…
  • p. 9 …United Nations to establish an agency or working group for research into UFOs. This was mentioned…
  • p. 19 …United Nations to establish an agency or working group for research A into unidentified flying objects…
  • p. 28 …further re~uests the Con1nittee to submit a pre1 imlru1i:y report on its work by…
  • p. 30 …delegation, with the full support of Premier Gairy, sought to establish an ad hoc working group…
  • p. 38 …out to his co-pilot, First Officer Lee Boyd, The jet pilot's instruments started working…
  • p. 40 …lodestone, was thought to be the I.work of the Devil, as indeed were some of…
  • p. 41 …I acknowledge, how- ever, that, for example, the works of Darwin were once thought incompatible with…
  • p. 45 …at this time, but we should start working for it. If we had a worldwide organisa…
  • p. 46 …He has done a we are studying hagiography-and I had job of work and I…
  • p. 57 …I have noticed that so far none of who might be willing to work for a…
  • p. 58 …ful job for ··or!unity, I •r working re, if that ,; for the 'quircd. I summings…
  • p. 64 …We must return to work in this dreary old world and the difficulties we are in…
  • p. 100 …debate-to pay tribute to the valuable work which broadcasters un- doubtedly play in our society…
  • p. 102 …t Kingdom to study unidentified flying objects, working closely with the French , one. ·:.••i The MINISTER…
  • p. 104 …She has extended and ex-~ objects, working closely with the French panded in the best possible…
  • p. 111 …Every tim~ something appears, we send it to tr~t specialist body which is working, basically…
  • p. 118 …as it can be deduced from the work of the CNES, where Mr Jean-claude Poher…
  • p. 145 …debate-to pay tribute to the valuable work which broadcasters un- doubtedly play in our society…
  • p. 148 …objects, working closely with the French· . ~ •. 9ne. The MINISTER of STATE,' DEPAR,T,~i MENT of…
  • p. 150 …She has extended and ex-, objects, working closely with the French pa.nded ,in the best…
  • p. 160 …Every tim~ something appears, we send it to tl~t specialist body which is working, basically…
  • p. 167 …the phenomenon as it can be deduced from the work of the CNES, where Mr Jean…
  • p. 315 …Unfortunate! y the·· Cl ee-Hi 11 · radar head was not working on primary radar during…
  • p. 383 …during the recording period, therefore, only aircraft working Secondary Surveillance Radar can be seen. 3. Listed…
  • p. 400 …painstaking investigation over a period of 8 working days and, although all the light phenomenae have…
  • p. 405 …observed by all crew members intermittently (busy working the ship) from 0246 til daybreak. - observed about…
  • p. 413 …who axe presumably all quite used to working a.t night and therefore are quite fa…
  • p. 418 ... .,.,--{ ... •. ,,.. tlbdar operators who work routinely in particular areas using the same radar head, as is borne…
  • p. 433 …painstaking investigation over a period of a working days and, although all the light phenomenae have…
  • p. 438 …observed by all crew members intermittently (busy working the ship) from 0246 til daybreak. - observed about…
  • p. 444 …pr~~sum<~~Ul) all quite used to working at night and therefore looking at the sky…
  • p. 449 41bdar operators who work routinely in particular areas using the same radar head, as is borne…
  • p. 460 …I may decide if I wish the work to continue. With reference to your comments in…
  • p. 463 …This estimate indicates the largest period of time that might be required, clearly if the work…
  • p. 472 …of the sum involved in undertaking the work I have requested. If the sum does exceed…
  • p. 477 …I estimate that undertaking the work you have requested will take around 23 hours. Four hours…
  • p. 481 …certain amount of work might cost. "I estimate that undertaking the work you have requested will…
  • p. 486 …Dr Clarke is entitled to the first four hours work free and every following hour (or…
BACKGROUND NOTE
MOD interests in UFO investigation is solely to establish
whether report have any bearing on defence. Investigations of
individual reports over a number of years have produced no
evidence that UFOs represent a threat to defence. As might be
expected, simple explanations have been found for most UFO
reports, the most common single source of sightings being air-
craft or the ligh~or aircraft seen under unusual meteorological
conditions. There is nothing to justify the expenditure of Defence
funds on setting up a section to investigate the reports.
2. We sometimes take the line: 'The :r;roD does not dismiss the
possibility that intelligent life could exist in outer space, but
reports that have reached the Department to date contain no
~vidence to support the view that these alleged phenoThena are of
an extra-terrestrial origin'. However, that response is more likely
toi~tate the dedicated enthusiasts than to convince them, so it is
customary to p1ay a dead bat.
3. During 1976, the statement said to have been made by the French
~linister of Defence in 1974 was brought to the Department's notice
in correspondence from the public. Attempts by DPR(R.U')- to verify
the state~ent through the ~·ench Embassy were unsuccessful, since
it was virtually impossible to check back on a radio programme
broadcast two years earlier. Neither -v;as the British .A.ir Attache's
staff in Paris able to produce information on the broadcast. It is
understood, ho"'rever, that the French Defence Ninistry also study
the ~alitary implications and consider any scientific aspect that
may have a bearing on military affajrs. The reports are also con-
sidered by French scientists at a Government organisation knO\m as
the Centre Nationale D'Etude 'spatial. The British Air Attache in

Cases discussed

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