Documents / Document
This MoD file, titled UFOs - Persistent Correspondence - Dr David Clarke, holds Dr David Clarke's Freedom of Information requests and emails to the Directorate of Air Staff from 2005 to 2008. Clarke asked for the DI55 report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defence Region and for Rendlesham papers. He also sought records about Nick Pope. Other items include an internal review that released redacted passages on plasmas, the MoD's statement that it had no report of the 2008 South Wales police helicopter sighting, and a 2009 disposal form.
“DI55”38 pages
ENCLOSURE 27 MUMBER ## Release of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defence Region Report - Possible Press / Public Questions What is the MOD's role in relation to reported UFO (UAP) sightings? The MOD examines any UFO sighting reports it receives solely to establish whether there is any evidence to suggest that UK airspace has been compromised by hostile or unauthorised air activity. Unless there is such evidence the MOD does not attempt to positively identify what was seen. What is Defence Intelligence staff role in relation to UFOs (UAP). Until December 2000, DIS examined UFO sighting reports received by MOD to see if they contained any information of value in DIS's task of analysing the performance and threat of foreign weapons systems, nuclear, chemical and biological warfare programmes and technologies and emerging technologies. ## If the MOD has no particular interest in UFOs (UAP), why did DIS undertake such an extensive study? Was it to investigate if aliens were visiting us? The study was not conducted to establish the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors. Prior to 2000 UFO reports were copied to DIS in case they were useful to the work of the Defence Intelligence Staff. During a policy review in 2000, DIS wished to establish once and for all the potential value, if any, of UFO (UAP) sighting reports to Defence Intelligence. ## When was the study done and why was it kept secret? The study was conducted between December 1996 and March 2000. The report contains sensitive information concerning the UK Air Defence Region and was therefore classified Secret and given a limited distribution. Until the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all government records were closed from public viewing for a period of 30 years after the last action was taken in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958 and 1967. ## What is the aim of this study? To ascertain whether there is any evidence of a threat to the UK and to identify any potential military technologies of interest. ## How much did it cost the taxpayer? The study was carried out between December 1996 and March 2000 by one contractor. Details of the exact cost of the study are unavailable. Why was the MOD secretly studying UFOs when you have said on many occasions you are not interested in the subject / is not taken seriously, etc.
Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 160 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.