Ministry of Defence UFO/UAP Correspondence and Sighting Reports File (1995)

This document is a compilation of administrative records, correspondence, and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests handled by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the United Kingdom, primarily during the year 2006. The file contains numerous individual reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) dating back to the late 1980s and 1990s, which were processed in response to public inquiries. The correspondence highlights the MOD's policy regarding UFO sightings, which is to determine if any sighting poses a threat to UK airspace security. The documents repeatedly state that the MOD does not investigate the precise nature of these sightings, as they are not tasked with providing an aerial identification service. Much of the correspondence involves the MOD responding to requests for information about specific incidents, such as the alleged 'Aurora' hypersonic aircraft, the Rendlesham Forest incident, and various police-reported sightings. The file includes internal communications between MOD departments, such as the Directorate of Air Staff (DAS) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS), regarding the handling of these FOI requests, the costs associated with manual searches of paper records, and the redaction of personal information under the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Several pages contain copies of original 'Report of an Unidentified Flying Object' forms submitted by police officers and members of the public, detailing observations of lights, shapes, and movements in the sky. The document also includes parliamentary questions and background notes regarding the 'Aurora' project, reflecting the government's stance that it has no knowledge of such a 'black' programme. The file serves as a record of the administrative burden and the procedural approach taken by the MOD in managing public interest in UFOs and related phenomena during the early 21st century.