Correspondence regarding the declassification of the Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects

This document collection consists of correspondence dated December 20, 1957, from the Central Intelligence Agency to Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner and the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Air Force. The primary purpose of the correspondence is to facilitate the declassification of the 'Report of the Scientific Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects,' originally dated January 17, 1953. The CIA, in coordination with the members of the Scientific Panel, agreed to declassify the conclusions of the report, while maintaining certain restrictions regarding the disclosure of specific names in connection with the declassified findings. The enclosed report, authored by the Scientific Panel of Scientific Consultants, states that the panel met at the request of the government to evaluate potential threats to national security posed by Unidentified Flying Objects, also referred to as 'Flying Saucers.' The Panel reviewed evidence provided by the United States Air Force and concluded that there was no indication that these phenomena posed a direct physical threat to national security. Furthermore, the Panel found no evidence that the phenomena were attributable to foreign hostile artifacts or that they required a revision of current scientific concepts. The Panel recommended that national security agencies take immediate steps to remove the 'special status' and 'aura of mystery' surrounding the subject of Unidentified Flying Objects. The report is signed by H. P. Robertson (Chairman), Luis W. Alvarez, S. A. Goudsmit, and Thornton Page.