Ministry of Defence Correspondence Regarding UFO/UAP Parliamentary Enquiries and File AIR 2/16918

This file, D/Sec(AS)64/4, is a collection of Ministry of Defence (MOD) correspondence, internal minutes, and draft replies concerning Parliamentary Questions (PQs) regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or 'UFOs'. The documents span from 1997, with references to events dating back to 1957 and 1980. A significant portion of the file is dedicated to addressing persistent enquiries from Members of Parliament (MPs) such as Don Foster, Rhodri Morgan, Bob Russell, and Terry Rooney, who were acting on behalf of constituents interested in UFO incidents. The primary focus of these enquiries is the 1980 Rendlesham Forest incident, involving Lt Col Charles Halt, and the alleged existence of a secret British operation named 'Operation Aeneid'. The MOD consistently maintains that it has no evidence of defence significance regarding these events. The correspondence reveals the MOD's internal process for drafting responses to PQs, emphasizing the need for accuracy and adherence to the Open Government Code. The file also addresses the status of various public records, specifically the misplacement and subsequent recovery of file AIR 2/16918, which contained reports of UFO sightings from 1961-1963. The MOD clarifies its policy regarding the release of files under the Public Records Act, noting that files are generally closed for 30 years. Furthermore, the documents address specific concerns about the storage of nuclear weapons at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, with the MOD adhering to a policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons at any site. The file includes copies of the original 1981 memo from Lt Col Halt regarding the Rendlesham Forest incident, as well as various draft replies and background notes prepared for Ministers. The correspondence highlights the tension between public interest in UFOs and the MOD's limited role, which is restricted to identifying potential threats to UK airspace. The MOD asserts that it does not routinely investigate UFO reports unless there is evidence of an unauthorized incursion by foreign military aircraft. The file also touches upon the 'West Freugh' incident of 1957 and the loss of a Lightning aircraft piloted by Captain Schaffner in 1970, with the MOD providing explanations to address public speculation.