Ministry of Defence File: Public Correspondence - Persistent Correspondent

This document file, maintained by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) under reference D/DAS/64/3/12, chronicles a multi-year exchange of correspondence between the MOD and a persistent correspondent identifying as a MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) investigator. The file spans from 2001 to 2005, though it contains references to events dating back to 1941. The primary focus of the correspondence is the investigator's repeated requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for detailed records regarding UFO sightings, radar tracking data, and alleged crash retrievals of extraterrestrial craft in the United Kingdom and the United States. The investigator frequently requests information on 'flying triangles,' radar logs from RAF Fylingdales and RAF Neatishead, and details concerning the 1980 Rendlesham Forest incident. The MOD consistently responds by explaining its limited remit: the department only investigates reports to determine if they pose a threat to UK airspace or reveal defence significance. The MOD repeatedly informs the correspondent that it does not maintain records on extraterrestrial life, does not possess 'UFO document packages,' and that many of the requested files are either non-existent, destroyed according to standard retention policies, or exempt from disclosure under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information due to the volume of the requests or privacy concerns. The file includes internal minutes where MOD staff discuss how to handle the 'voluminous or vexatious' nature of the requests, noting the significant time required to manually search through archived files. The correspondence also touches upon various alleged incidents, including the 1967 Shag Harbour crash, the 1989 Belgian UFO wave, and sightings over nuclear facilities. The MOD maintains a firm stance that it has no evidence of UFOs or alien technologies and that its investigations are not intended to catalogue or identify every reported aerial phenomenon. The file serves as a record of the administrative burden and the procedural challenges faced by the MOD in responding to high-volume, broad-scope information requests regarding UAP.