Declassified UFO / UAP Document
Ministry of Defence File: UFOs - Public Correspondence & Requests for Information
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This file contains official Ministry of Defence correspondence from 2002 regarding public inquiries about UFOs. It confirms the MOD's policy of only investigating reports with potential defence significance and provides historical context on how such reports were handled.
This document is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) file, reference D/DAS/64/3, containing public correspondence and requests for information regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP/UFOs) from 2002. The file documents the MOD's standard response to public inquiries, which consistently maintains that the MOD does not investigate UFOs unless there is evidence of potential defence significance or a compromise of UK airspace. The correspondence reveals a recurring pattern of public interest, often fueled by media reports, including a BBC 'Inside Out' programme regarding the 1970 crash of a Lightning aircraft piloted by Captain William O. Schaffner. The file includes internal notes and drafts regarding the release of information, the application of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, and the handling of specific requests from individuals and Members of Parliament. The MOD clarifies that it does not maintain a dedicated UFO investigation unit and that reports are not computerised but filed manually. The file also contains historical context regarding the MOD's past procedures, including references to the 1960s 'UFO Policy' (DEFE 31/118) and the 1950s 'minimum format' for reporting. The correspondence highlights the MOD's position that it does not have expertise in extraterrestrial life and that its primary function is the defence of UK airspace, not the provision of an aerial identification service for the public. The file also documents the MOD's refusal of certain voluminous requests for information under the Code of Practice, citing the excessive burden on resources.
The MOD examines any reports of 'UFOs' it receives solely to establish whether what was seen might have some defence significance; namely, whether there is any evidence that the United Kingdom's airspace might have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised air activity.
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Official Assessment
The Ministry of Defence examines reports of UFOs solely to establish if there is any evidence of defence significance or compromise of UK airspace. No evidence has been found to substantiate the existence of alleged phenomena.
The Ministry of Defence maintains that it has no expertise in UFOs and that reports are not computerised but filed manually. Most reports are explained by natural phenomena or aircraft.
Key Persons
- Captain William O. SchaffnerUSAF exchange officer whose Lightning aircraft crashed on 8 September 1970
- Roger FreemanUnder Secretary of State for the Armed Forces
- William CashMember of Parliament