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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…
~. ·' ·. .-· .
all available displays, observed the same plot on the same Claxby
radar in the same position. This information was also relayed to
ARCC thence to MRCC; by now, MRCC had conscio~sly or
subconsciously associated the reports of lights with the Boston
radar return and assumed an investigative and coordination role
for the rest of the night.
3. Actions by Air Defence System. Meanwhile, CRC Neatishead's
inquiries had revealed no sign of air movements or military
exercises in the area and there was no evidence of unidentified
air activity on any radar; the stationary radar plot, without
associated height or IFF/SSR support, therefore, was judged by
experienced operators at both Neatishead and the D&D Cell to be a
permanent echo, and the separate stationary lights as some form of
natural phenomena of no air defence or air concern. It was clear
that no flying craft had penetrated the UKADR or was present on
any radar; furthermore, the unrelated stationary light reports
were not suspicious in nature or of significance to air or
maritime safety, therefore, no recommendation to scramble a Quick
Reaction Alert aircraft from RAF Leuchars to investigate either
the permanent echo or the reported lights was sought.
4. Subsequent Reporting. Updates and further information on
both the plot and lights continued to be sought by MRCC from
several sources on open circuits,and reported, and sometimes
distorted, in the process. Further interest in the radar plot was
kept alive at the instigation of the coastguard, leading to the
eventual involvement of several other control agencies including
LATCC(Civil), LATCC(Military), Anglia Radar and Waddington
Approach. Further interest in the lights was maintained by the
coastguard until they disappeared with the dawn, involving a
tanker vessel at sea, Boston and Skegness Police Forces and
LATCC(Civil).
INVESTIGATION OF RADAR PLOT AND VISUAL SIGHTINGS
5. The various observations which occurred in the early hours of
5 Oct 96 and the various phenomenae have been investigated in
considerable detail. The relevant logs maintained by on-duty
Military and civilian personnel have been studied and, where
possible, key observers and operators, both civil and military,
have been interviewed by telephone.
THE BOSTON PLOT
6. Plot Characteristics. A radar Plot was observed in the
position of Boston, Lines, on the National Air Traffic Services
(NATS) sensor at Claxby, near Market Rasen, when attention was
drawn to the area by Great Yarmouth Coastguard. It was observed
by the D&D Cell from approximately 0225Z and by CRC Neatishead
from 0230Z; both organisations have access to the same radar
display although neither uses that radar on a routine basis for
surveillance or aircraft control in the Wash area. Later, the
plot was observed by Anglia Radar at stanstead, which opened at

Cases discussed

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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 492 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.