Ministry of Defence UFO Correspondence File D/DAS/64/3

This document is a compilation of official correspondence maintained by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Directorate of Air Staff (Lower Airspace) regarding public inquiries about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). The file, referenced as D/DAS/64/3, spans the period from late 2001 to mid-2002 and serves as a record of the MOD's responses to various Freedom of Information requests and general public queries. The correspondence reveals a consistent policy: the MOD investigates reports of unidentified objects solely to determine if they pose a threat to the United Kingdom's national security or if there is evidence of unauthorized military activity in British airspace. The MOD explicitly states that it does not possess the resources or the mandate to conduct scientific investigations into the nature of UFOs, nor does it maintain a database of such sightings for research purposes. The file contains numerous letters from members of the public, researchers, and organizations such as the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) and the Disclosure Project, requesting information on historical incidents, including the Rendlesham Forest incident of 1980 and various sightings from the 1950s. The MOD's responses consistently emphasize that files older than 30 years are routinely transferred to the Public Record Office, while more recent files are managed manually and are subject to the Data Protection Act 1998, which necessitates the redaction of personal information before release. The document also includes internal discussions among MOD staff regarding the handling of these requests, the application of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, and the challenges of searching through thousands of manual records. Several letters discuss the 'Disclosure Project' and the claims of individuals like Elizabeth Klarer, with the MOD maintaining a neutral, non-committal stance, reiterating that it has no evidence to substantiate the existence of extraterrestrial life. The file also includes copies of parliamentary questions and responses, as well as internal minutes regarding the destruction of older files, which the MOD explains was standard practice prior to 1967 due to a lack of public interest in permanent retention. The overall tone of the correspondence is bureaucratic and defensive, aimed at managing public expectations while adhering to government transparency guidelines.