Special Report of the USAF Scientific Advisory Board Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project Blue Book

This document is a special report from the USAF Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Ad Hoc Committee, dated March 1966, regarding their review of Project Blue Book. The committee was convened following a request from Major General E. B. LeBailly, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Information, to evaluate the resources and methods used by the Air Force to investigate unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The committee's primary objective was to advise the Air Force on potential improvements to the program to better fulfill its responsibilities. The committee reviewed the findings of previous scientific panels, including the 1953 Robertson panel, and received briefings from the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) of the Air Force Systems Command. The report concludes that in the 19 years since the inception of Project Blue Book, there has been no evidence that UFOs pose a threat to national security. The committee notes that the vast majority of sightings are attributable to natural or conventional objects, and that many cases labeled as 'unidentified' are simply those where the available information is insufficient for a definitive analysis. Despite this, the committee recommends strengthening the program by contracting with selected universities to provide deeper scientific investigation for a small number of cases that warrant extensive analysis. They also suggest that an officer skilled in investigation be designated at each Air Force Systems Command base to coordinate with these university teams. The report emphasizes that the current program is well-organized but limited by its small staff. It further recommends that reports on these selected sightings be printed in full and made available to the public to improve understanding of the scientific approach taken by the Air Force. The document also includes an agenda for the committee's meeting on February 3, 1966, and a distribution list for the report. Additionally, the document contains press clippings from March 1966 detailing public and political interest in UFO sightings, including reports from Michigan, and position papers from the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), which criticizes the Air Force's secrecy policy and advocates for a Congressional investigation.