Compilation of Unusual Aerial Sighting Reports and RAAF Correspondence, 1987

This document is a collection of correspondence and sighting reports handled by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Headquarters 86 Wing in 1987. The file contains several distinct reports of Unusual Aerial Sightings (UAS) from civilian and military witnesses. The RAAF's standard procedure, as outlined in their correspondence, is to conduct a preliminary investigation at the nearest base and forward reports to the Department of Defence. The RAAF explicitly states that they only investigate reports deemed to have military significance and do not engage in general UFO research. The document includes a detailed report from two SAS soldiers regarding a sighting at RAAF Learmonth on June 9, 1987. The soldiers observed a round, white-to-amber light that performed zig-zag movements and hovered for several minutes. Notably, the report mentions that VHF communications were lost during the sighting and that crew members of a 36 Squadron aircraft also observed the light but chose not to report it. The investigating officer, Major R. Hill, concluded the cause was unknown, noting the witnesses were stable and reliable. Other correspondence in the file shows the RAAF providing standard responses to civilian witnesses, often citing statistics from the Condon Report and Project Blue Book to explain that the vast majority of sightings are attributable to natural phenomena, satellites, or man-made objects. The RAAF consistently directs civilians to private UFO research organizations for further inquiry.