Unusual Sightings and Incidents — RAAF File 5/4/AIR PART 6/7

This document is a compilation of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) files concerning the reporting and investigation of 'Unusual Aerial Sightings' (UAS) between 1979 and 1990, with significant historical data dating back to 1960. The file outlines the official RAAF policy for handling reports from the public, which involves initial investigation at the nearest RAAF base, followed by forwarding reports to the Department of Defence (Air Office) in Canberra for further analysis. The RAAF maintains a skeptical stance, noting that approximately 90% of reported sightings are attributable to known causes such as aircraft, satellites, meteors, space debris, meteorological balloons, stars, and planets. The document includes several specific case reports from the early 1980s, involving observers in the Northern Territory, and correspondence between RAAF personnel and members of the public, including members of the Victorian UFO Research Society. The file also contains detailed summary tables of sightings from 1973, providing dates, locations, descriptions, and the RAAF's determined 'possible cause' for each event. The RAAF explicitly references the 'Condon Report' and 'Project Blue Book' to support its conclusion that further extensive study of UFOs is not scientifically justified. The document highlights the RAAF's commitment to investigating these reports as a service to the public, while simultaneously attempting to allay fears by providing rational explanations for the phenomena reported.