New Zealand Defence Force Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) Files: AIR 39/3/3 Volume 3

This document is a declassified file (AIR 39/3/3 Volume 3) from the New Zealand Defence Force, covering the period from 1979 to 1980. It serves as a repository for correspondence, internal minute sheets, and reports regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Aerial Sightings (UAS). The file documents the official stance of the RNZAF, which consistently maintained that it did not conduct detailed investigations into UFO reports. Instead, the Air Force acted as a clearinghouse, consulting with other government agencies—such as the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and the Meteorological Service—to identify natural explanations for reported phenomena. Common explanations provided to the public included atmospheric ducting, the planet Venus, and lights from Japanese squid fishing boats operating off the coast. The file includes significant internal friction, notably a formal complaint from Warrant Officer I.B. Uffindell, who criticized the inter-departmental investigation into sightings off the Marlborough coast in late 1978. Uffindell alleged that the investigation committee was biased and sought to 'whitewash' the findings. The file also contains correspondence with various members of the public, including students and international researchers, who sought information on UFOs. The tone of the official responses is consistently dismissive of the 'UFO' label, emphasizing that sightings were likely natural phenomena. Additionally, the file includes bizarre correspondence from individuals claiming psychic premonitions regarding Skylab or suggesting that UFOs were part of a geopolitical threat involving China. The document provides a clear view of the bureaucratic management of UFO reports in New Zealand during the late 1970s, highlighting the tension between public interest and the military's desire to minimize the resources dedicated to these reports.