The RB-47 UFO Case — A New Explanation

This document is a comprehensive intelligence assessment and retrospective analysis of a UFO sighting involving an Air Force RB-47 aircraft on July 17, 1957. The incident, which occurred during a pre-dawn flight over Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma, involved the crew observing a luminous object that appeared to maneuver around their aircraft. The crew reported that the object was tracked by both their onboard electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment and ground-based radar stations. The document includes the original project record card, official correspondence between the Air Defense Command and the Air Technical Intelligence Center, and a detailed 1971 analysis by Philip J. Klass. Klass argues that the incident, which had been previously cited by Dr. James E. McDonald as evidence of extraterrestrial visitation, can be explained through conventional means. He posits that the electronic signals detected by the ECM equipment were likely reflections from ground-based radars, specifically the CPS-6B/FPS-10 radars located at Biloxi and Duncanville, and that the visual sightings were likely conventional aircraft or meteors. The assessment highlights the challenges of investigating historical UFO reports, noting that discrepancies in crew recollections are often the result of the 'ravages of time' rather than intentional deception. The document also includes copies of the original Airborne Observer's Data Sheet completed by Major Lewis D. Chase, the aircraft commander, and various teletype messages documenting the incident as it unfolded. The final conclusion of the assessment is that the 'unidentified' target was likely a combination of ground-based radar interference and conventional air traffic, and that the sighting does not provide evidence of extraterrestrial technology.