ANNEX F TO
D/DA0/1/13
DATED 13 NOV 96
ABBREVIATED COMMENTS ON MR REDMOND'S LETTER
1. General. Mr Redmond's comments are largely based on radio
traffic between Gt Yarmouth Coastguard Maritime Rescue
Coordination Centre and various agencies which was either released
or intercepted then reported in the press and interpreted in
various ways; erroneously, the visual observations of lights have
been linked with persistent radar returns from a permanent echo at
Boston Lines.
2. Para 1. There was no visual identified flying craft only
unusual lights; correlation by 'various different military radar
systems' did not occur.
3. Para 2.
a. Lights with different characteristics were observed to
the E and/or SE of Skegness and Boston by Police and by the
crew of MV Conocoast some a miles east of Skegness. A
separate stationary object was detected on one ATC radar at
Claxby, Lines, over Boston and observed on the same radar
display at Neatishead, Anglia Radar (later) and the D&D Cell
at the London Air Traffic Control Centre (LATCC} West
Drayton; a stationary object was also detected much later on
the Waddington approach radar, however this was in a separate
position, not over Boston. Three aircraft subsequently flew
close to the 'object' but no sighting of an airborne vehicle
was made.
b. RAF Northwood was never involved in this event.
confusion has arisen because Gt Yarmouth coastguard, referred
incorrectly to 'D&D Northwood' instead of 'D&D West Drayton'
in several transmissions or conversations; this error was
reproduced in press reports.
4. Para 3.
a. Aircraft were not scrambled because there was no
evidence whatsoever of an unidentified airborne vehicle in
the vicinity.
b. Tornado F3 QRA aircraft are held on high alert at RAF
Leuchars but not routinely at Leeming or coningsby.
c. The RAF Air Rescue Coordination centre (ARCC), Kinloss
was only involved by Gt Yarmouth Coastguard Maritime Rescue
Coordination centre (MRCC) to ascertain whether they knew of
any air activity in the area. ARCC, in turn, asked CRC
Neatishead and D&D who replied in the negative; ARCC
subsequently relayed several messages between D&D/Neatishead
and the MRCC concerning the stationary radar plot.
5. Para 4. Locations of permanent echoes are well known to