Ministry of Defence File: UFO's - FOI REQUESTS

This document is a compilation of correspondence and administrative records from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Directorate of Air Staff (DAS) regarding Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted between 2006 and 2008. The file, referenced as D/DAS/64/6, documents the MoD's standard responses to public inquiries about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or UFOs. The correspondence reveals a consistent policy: the MoD does not investigate UFO sightings unless there is evidence of a potential threat to UK national security or unauthorized foreign military activity. The MoD clarifies that it does not maintain a dedicated 'UFO desk' or team of experts, noting that the responsibility for handling such correspondence falls to two junior-grade civil service posts within the Directorate of Air Staff. The file contains numerous exchanges with members of the public, journalists, and researchers, including inquiries about specific historical incidents such as the Rendlesham Forest incident, the Cosford incident, and various sightings in locations like Tern Hill, Hull, and Bromley. The MoD consistently directs inquirers to its website for published UFO reports and to The National Archives for older, declassified files. The document also highlights the administrative burden of these requests, with several responses citing the cost-exemption clause under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, noting that the manual search of files would exceed the £600 limit. Additionally, the file includes internal communications regarding the recruitment of staff for the UFO-related posts and the MoD's cooperation with a research study by the Constitution Unit at University College London. The records reflect a transition period where the MoD was actively transferring its historical UFO files to The National Archives, a process intended to make the information more accessible to the public while reducing the administrative load on the department.