Ministry of Defence UFOs - FOI Requests File D/DAS/64/16

This document is a registered Ministry of Defence (MOD) file, reference D/DAS/64/16, containing a collection of correspondence and administrative records related to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to the MOD between 2007 and 2008. The file documents the MOD's policy and responses regarding public inquiries into Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or UFOs. The correspondence reveals a consistent departmental stance: the MOD does not actively investigate UFO reports to identify the objects themselves, but rather to assess whether such sightings indicate a threat to UK airspace from hostile or unauthorized foreign military activity. The file includes numerous exchanges with members of the public, journalists, and researchers regarding specific incidents, such as the Rendlesham Forest incident, the Cosford incident, and various sightings reported in locations like Bognor, Gloucestershire, and Newcastle. A recurring theme in the responses is the MOD's reliance on Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, citing the excessive cost of manually searching through approximately 160 paper files to fulfill broad requests. The MOD frequently directs requesters to The National Archives, where they have initiated a multi-year programme to release UFO-related files in chronological order. The file also contains internal discussions regarding the management of these FOI requests, the potential for releasing information on the 'Condor', 'Murphy', 'Anymouse', and 'Acorn' reporting schemes, and the department's interaction with external research bodies like The Constitution Unit at University College London. The document highlights the administrative burden placed on the MOD by the high volume of UFO-related FOI requests and the department's efforts to manage public expectations while maintaining its stated policy of openness regarding the release of historical records.