Why was the FBI made aware, of the 21 February 2021 "fast-moving" cylindrical object?

The Warzone

In an article dated 24 February 2021, the Warzone's Tylor Rogoway, reported on a statement made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning American Airlines Flight 2292's observation of a fast-moving, cylindrical object over New Mexico, on 21 February 2021. The statement read:

"A pilot reported seeing an object over New Mexico shortly after noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. FAA air traffic controllers did not see any object in the area on their radarscopes."

In an earlier article, dated 23 February 2021, Rogoway obtained the following statement from American Airlines:

"Following a debrief of our Flight crew and additional information received, we can confirm this radio transmission was from American Airlines Flight 2292 on Feb. 21. For any additional queries on this, we encourage you to reach out to the FBI."

Newspaper updates 

The 25 February 2021 edition of the "Albuquerque Journal," (imaged above) in an article by T. S. Last, reported that they had contacted the FBI about the incident, and that the FBI had responded:

"The FBI is aware of the reported incident," the agency replied to a Journal inquiry. 'While our policy is to neither confirm nor deny investigations, the FBI works continuously with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to share intelligence and protect the public.' "

The "Winnipeg Star" dated 26 February 2021, identified which FBI field office had made the comment.

"The FBI in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said they were aware of the reported incident, but neither confirmed nor denied the investigation, in an email to the Arizona Republic.

 A question arises

After reading all of the above, a question arose in my mind. "Why is the FBI involved in a reported observation of an unidentified object in the sky?" This question first arose for me in June 2020. On 17 June 2020, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence wrote Report 116-233. This report was in response to the contents of Bill S3905 "Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021."

In its report, under the heading "Advanced Aerial Threats," the committee wrote that it:

"...directs the DNI, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of such other agencies as the Director and Secretary jointly consider relevant, to submit a report within 180 days of the...on unidentified aerial phenomena..."

Later there appeared in the same report, that the committee directs that the report include:

"A detailed analysis of data of the FBI, which was derived from investigations of intrusions of unidentified aerial phenomena data over restricted United States airspace."

To me, this statement implies that the FBI has recently become involved in investigations into UAP, as well as drones. This would explain the fact that they were made aware of the 21 February 2021, New Mexico incident. This only leads to further questions, such as what is their mandate in UAP investigation? Who asked them to be involved? When?

Drones

The 2020 reported sightings of large drones, in formation, over parts of Colorado, Nebraska and Kansa in the U.S.A. saw the FAA leading a task force. Documents obtained by U.S. researcher Douglas D. Johnson, under the FOIA, disclosed that the FBI was part of this task force.

What is the FBI's actual legislated mission? According to their own website their mission is "To protect the American people and uphold the constitution of the United States." Their priorities are:

"* Protect the U.S. from terrorist attack

* Protect the U.S. against foreign intelligence, espionage and cyber operations

* Combat significant cyber criminal activity

* Combat public corruption at all levels

* Protect civil rights

* Combat transnational criminal enterprises

* Combat significant white-collar crime

* Combat significant violent crime."

Returning to my question

So, I ask, what area of the FBI's mission and priorities, would apply to the investigation of UAP? It seems to me that the only relevant one is "Protect the U.S. against foreign intelligence, espionage..." and the possibility that some UAP might include activities by foreign adversaries. 

I looked round for any relevant comment by the FBI itself, about why it might be involved in the investigation of drone sightings and UAP and found a statement by Deputy Assistant, Critical Incident Response Group, Scott Brunner, made in June 2018 to the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee concerning what he referred to as "Unmanned Aerial Systems."

"The FBI is concerned that criminals and terrorists will exploit UAS in ways that pose a serious threat to the safety of the American people. The UAS threat could take a number of forms, including illegal surveillance..."

So, back to my original question, "Why is the FBI involved in a reported observation of a unidentified object in the sky?" I can see the rationale for their interest in Unmanned Aerial Systems, i.e. drones, and their potential use to say, drop drugs inside jails; and for terrorists to use them to blow up an individual, but why their interest in  fast-moving cylindrical objects over remote New Mexico, at around 35,000 feet? 

In conclusion, I am currently unable to arrive at a satisfactory answer to my question. 

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Boston researcher Barry Greenwood for supplying various newspaper clippings, about the 21 February 2021 incident.

Update 2 March 2021

I received an email from U.S. researcher Mark Rodeghier who reminded me of an aircraft "near miss" case from 1997.

A report on the case by R. J. Durant in the September, 1999, issue of the MUFON Journal, gave details of the encounter by a Swissair Boeing 747, which "...experienced a "near miss" with a cylindrical "glowing white" object traveling almost directly toward the cockpit at very high speed...at 23,000 feet...in cloudless sky." The aircraft was travelling between Philadelphia and Boston in the U.S. at the time.

On page 4, Durant reveals "Subsequently, FAA notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) and both agencies assigned officers to attend the meeting with the Swissair pilots."

Durant's report is well worth a read in light of the 21 February 2021 incident. Other details may be read at http://www.nicap.org/970809swissair_dir.htm

Update 10 March 2021

Twitter-10 March 2021 Roger Glassel

Previously unseen Archives New Zealand UAP file now available in digitized form

In a 14 July 2017 blog post, Melbourne researcher Paul Dean described locating a number of UAP related files on the  Archives New Zealand website. In that blog, Paul wrote:

"New Zealand’s atmospheric and meteorological agencies maintained UFO–related files too, The first item is titled, “Meteorological Office: Research: Meteorological – Unidentified Flying Objects”, and its record number is “42/6/23”. The date range of this file is 1968 to 1984. The originating and controlling agency for this file is the Head Office of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (NIWAR). This quasi–government entity is described, in government organizational chronologies, as a “…Crown owned research and consulting company with expertise in water and atmospheric research”. The file is listed as “Open Access”. This is interesting, as the NIWAR was engaged in meteorological and atmospheric study, so any evaluation or assessment of the UFO issue by competent scientists is obviously valuable to researchers. Also, like other New Zealand UFO files, this item is listed as being “Part 1”, which implies a continuation of the file well beyond the mid–1980’s. No more “parts”, however, are listed when performing archival searches. As for the contents, one hopes that NIWAR conducted a reasonable degree of primary research into the UFO issue, possibly studying unknown cases, and dealing directly with other New Zealand agencies. More likely, however, is that the file contains low–level sighting reports, collections of local newspaper articles, and other mundane items. Previous experience suggests New Zealand’s atmospheric and meteorological agencies maintained UFO–related files too, The first item is titled, “Meteorological Office: Research: Meteorological – Unidentified Flying Objects”, and its record number is “42/6/23”. The date range of this file is 1968 to 1984. The originating and controlling agency for this file is the Head Office of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (NIWAR). This quasi–government entity is described, in government organizational chronologies, as a “…Crown owned research and consulting company with expertise in water and atmospheric research”. The file is listed as “Open Access”. This is interesting, as the NIWAR was engaged in meteorological and atmospheric study, so any evaluation or assessment of the UFO issue by competent scientists is obviously valuable to researchers. Also, like other New Zealand UFO files, this item is listed as being “Part 1”, which implies a continuation of the file well beyond the mid–1980’s. No more “parts”, however, are listed when performing archival searches. As for the contents, one hopes that NIWAR conducted a reasonable degree of primary research into the UFO issue, possibly studying unknown cases, and dealing directly with other New Zealand agencies. More likely, however, is that the file contains low–level sighting reports, collections of local newspaper articles, and other mundane items. Previous experience suggests the contents of “Meteorological Office: Research: Meteorological – Unidentified Flying Objects” is somewhere in the middle."

The other day, after locating, and blogging about,  one digitized UAP file on the Archives New Zealand website; by using different search terms I was able to locate a second digitized UAP file. This turned out to be the previously unseen file, 42/6/23, described by Paul.

The contents

The file, including the front cover, is 311 images in length, and as Paul said covers the years 1968-1984. It does include a large range of low-level, mainly lights in the sky, type sightings, submitted by the general public. However, it does also provide details of sightings from ships, e.g. the "Tasman Enterprise" 1 January 1978 (image FL62798595); and Air Traffic Controllers, (a) e.g. a 1972 white light  which approached an airfield, then departed, and which was not visible on radar. No known aircraft were in the area at the time (image FL62798573.) (b) e.g. a radar/visual observation dated 13 March 1977, involving Wellington Air Traffic Control (image FL62798580.)

Other agencies

It also provides copies of correspondence between Meteorological Services and other agencies of the New Zealand government which give an insight into internal government policy about the topic of UAP. Some examples are shown below:

Dated 1 April 1968, a letter from the New Zealand Air Force Headquarters, invited the Director of Meteorological Services to an "informal meeting" about UFOs on 10 April 1968. Other participants in this meeting were individuals from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; the Carter Observatory; the Department of Civil Aviation; Ministry of Defence, and the NZ Air Force (Image FL62798710.)

For further details on the New Zealand investigating committee, click here. 

Dated 14 December 1971, the Directorate of Service Intelligence, Ministry of Defence wrote to various agencies including Meteorological Services, about a UAP observation by Traffic Officer, Robert W. Munn, on 9 December 1971, over Wellington. A representative of the Ministry had interviewed Munn  and provided details to the agencies about the sighting (Image FL62798639.)

Dated 15 September 1972, there is a "confidential" letter from the Ministry of Defence to the Director, Meteorological Services concerning" Unidentified objects of foreign origin." It opens with "Recent experience has suggested the need for arrangements for the official examination of unidentified objects of foreign origin landing in New Zealand." The objects of concern are space debris and Soviet oceanographic equipment washed up on New Zealand shores. The letter goes on to ask that any reported objects drawn to the attention of Meteorological offices, be referred to the Joint Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Defence (Image FL62798851.) The Ministry stated "That it would be appreciated if the interest of this Ministry in unidentified objects of foreign origin could be treated as classified information." (Image FL62798693.)

Paul Dean had come across the details of a relevant file, and in his 2017 blog he wrote:

"Possibly related to the above Police holdings is a file titled “Unidentified Objects of Foreign Origin”. The record number is “48/65/2” and the date range is listed as 1972 to 1973. Also, the file is listed as “Part 1”. This implies that there may be more “parts” to this file, but none are listed in the Archival system. Also, the file is falls in a “Defence Documents” accession category, and is a considered “Restrictions May Apply” item. Importantly, the agency responsible for creating this file was the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). The DSIR provided scientific and technical services to the New Zealand government before being dissolved and reorganized in 1992. It is likely that this file relates to the 1972 space debris re–entries discussed previously. Both the date range and the title of the file are the two main giveaways. Moreover, we know that the DSIR was involved in assessing pieces of crashed space junk shortly after they were discovered. DSIR’s involvement in space debris analysis came to light in the New Zealand press, but also through documents released by America’s Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and State Department."

As far as can be determined this file has not yet been digitized.  

Dated 30 March 1984, is a letter from  the External Intelligence Bureau of the Prime Minister's Department, Wellington, to Radio Hauraki responding to a request from the station regarding information from the Bureau's files about "...extra-terrestrial spacecraft and/or occupants that have landed or been sighted in New Zealand territory." The Bureau advised that they had no information on this subject, but did confirm that they played a coordinating role in the study of  space objects that have landed in New Zealand, e.g. satellites (Image FL62798700.)

General correspondence

There are numerous letters between individuals, both in New Zealand and overseas, and the Meteorological Services. They deal with requests for information about the famous 1978 Kaikoura lights sightings; including letters from MUFON New Zealand; US researchers Robert Sheaffer and Peter Sturrock; and the ex Director of the South Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Alan Brunt. 

In summary

As always, a detailed reading of any archived UAP file always reveals a few details which were previously not know. I am sure that any researcher in New Zealand will be able to add to the few examples which I have provide above, by reading through the file.

The New Zealand National Archives digitizes its first UAP file

Files released

In December 2010, the New Zealand Defence Force released a number of its UAP files. This was only possible through the tireless work of Suzanne Hansen, the Director of New Zealand's "UFO Focus New Zealand Research Network."

These files were available to view in hard copy format only. Digitised copies then became available online via a news outlet. They were not digitally available through the website of Archives New Zealand.  Yesterday, I thought I would take another look at Archives New Zealand and see what UAP files they have currently listed. 

I used the keyword "UFO" for my initial search, and found that the Archives have 11 UAP files listed. These are:

1. "Support Services - Unidentified Flying Objects , General." 1972. Generated by the New Zealand Police National Headquarters. Item ID number R13024670.

2. "Support Services - Unidentified Flying Objects , General." 1972. Generated by the New Zealand Police National Headquarters. Item ID number R13029195. 

3. "Reports - Reports and returns - Reports of UFO [Unidentified Flying Objects]" 1956-1979. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force. Item ID number R21072322.

4. "Reports - Reports and returns - Reports of UFO [Unidentified Flying Objects]" 1979 - 1980. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force. Item ID number R21072323.

5."Reports - Reports and returns - Reports of UFO [Unidentified Flying Objects]" 1981 - 1984. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force. Item ID number R20384526.

6.  "Reports - Reports and returns - Reports of UFO [Unidentified Flying Objects]" 1979 - 1984. Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force. Item ID number R20384527.

7. "General Administration - Organisation and management - Reports and returns - UFO's [Unidentified Flying Objects] and Ethnology." 1984-1989. Item ID number 22365246.

8. "Political Affairs - Outer Space - Unidentified Flying Objects [UFO's]" 1977 - 1982. Item ID number R17729163.

9. "Reports, Flying Saucers [UFO] ]Unidentified Flying Objects]" November 1954 - December 1955. Item ID number R21077579.

10. "Public weather service -Flying Saucers and Unidentified Flying Objects [UFOs]." 1956 - 1988. Item ID number R6332418.

11. "UFO [Unidentified Flying Objects] Affair - [Kaikoura.]" Geophysical Observatory, Christchurch. Item ID number R1634567.

The digitized file

Only one of the above files has been digitized by Archives New Zealand, (approved 15 December 2020) namely, 8. "Political Affairs - Outer Space - Unidentified Flying Objects [UFO's]" 1977 - 1982. Item ID number R17729163. At first glance, it is hard to think what the file might be about? Political Affairs - Outer Space? 

The bulk of the file concerns one topic only. This is the attempt by the country of Grenada to have the United Nations adopt a 1978 draft resolution by Grenada, at the United Nations, "Establishment of an agency or department of the United Nations for Undertaking, Co-ordinating and disseminating the results of research into Unidentified Flying Objects and related phenomena." There are numerous internal U. N. documents; and correspondence between the U.N. New Zealand Ambassador and the Department of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand. Grenada was eventually persuaded to withdraw its resolution and instead adopt:

"That the General Assembly requests the Secretary General to transmit the text of the draft resolution together with the above mentioned statements to States Members of the United Nations  and to interested specialized agencies, so that they may communicate their views to the Secretary general." 

 Although the details of the affair are well know in the UAP literature, this file brings the New Zealand perspective and internal thoughts on the matter, into the public arena, and is therefore well worth a read.

An interesting aside, is that in a 2017 blog by Melbourne researcher Paul Dean, who had noted that this file was in the New Zealand Archives; and without seeing its contents,  had written:

"One can only speculate as to what an MFAT file may contain. One possibility, given the 1977 to 1982 date range, is that the records relate to a UFO awareness raising initiative at the United Nations, led by Sir Eric Gairy, the then Prime Minister of Grenada, in the late 1970’s. This effort resulted in a series of plenary meetings and decision adoptions in late 1977, which culminated in a Special Political Committee Hearing on the 27^th of November, 1978." 

Kaikoura

A series of incidents occurred in December 1978 around the Kaikoura region of New Zealand. There were visual observations by airline pilots; which were also filmed by an Australian TV crew; together with anomalous radar returns. Investigations were conducted by a number of government agencies within New Zealand. 

On the digitized file there is a SAVINGRAM document, from Wellington to all posts - re UFOs - Kaikora, dated June 1979. This included the following text:

"Prospect of Extra terrestrial intervention being proved is regarded as extremely remote."

I look forward to more of these Archive New Zealand UAP files being made available in digitized format. 

The latest TTSA report to the Securities and Exchange Commission

 On 17 February 2021, To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science, filed its latest report, dated 15 February 2021, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The full text of the report is as follows:

"Item 9. Other Events

 

To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science Inc. (“TTSA”) has made giant strides in our mission: from the official release and acknowledgment of UAP footage by government officials that has been viewed by over 28 million people, resulting in the mainstream press taking the topic seriously, to the two successful seasons of the HISTORY series “Unidentified” syndicated around the world, to thought leadership briefings at the highest level of the US Government, to a Cooperative R&D Agreement with the US Army, all topped with the astounding formation of a UAP Task Force by the US Department of Defense.

 

TTSA now enters its natural evolution as a company as we adapt to a new global landscape with new opportunities and priorities. The COVID-19 global pandemic has had a significant and negative impact on the defense and entertainment industries, and on individual investors’ willingness to invest in companies that are active in those industries, including TTSA. Taking into account the company’s natural evolution and the changes in the business environment due to COVID-19, TTSA is looking to build on the momentum of business initiatives where we are seeing highest success and which are increasingly likely to yield shareholder value. To achieve its goals, TTSA has decided to restructure its operations to scale back its initiatives in science and tech commercialization and to place a greater emphasis on the operations of its entertainment business.

 

TTSA has multiple intellectual property assets that it intends to develop into films, TV, books, and merchandise. To further its goals, TTSA plans to enter into strategic partnerships for the production and financing of its films and to explore merger possibilities in areas that could make it a vertically integrated film studio. TTSA’s other plans for expansion into the entertainment industry would include film product licensing and acquisition of literary talent for the creation of its film scripts.

 

As part of its restructuring, TTSA has taken steps to reduce debt by selling “Love LLC Movie” assets to Thomas DeLonge, its Chief Executive Officer, for $525,000 in a combination of cash and debt forgiveness, including a reduction in $400,000 in royalties owed as part of the Angels & Airwaves licensing agreement. That licensing agreement has now been terminated and the company is in discussions about renegotiating it. The company is also temporarily licensing to Thomas DeLonge the To The Stars Inc. business, for a monthly service fee, to reduce its overhead liabilities and capital needs through March 31, 2021.

 

Further, as part of the restructuring, Stephen Justice, TTSA’s Chief Operations Officer, Luis Elizondo, TTSA’s Director of Government Programs & Services, and Christopher Mellon, a member of TTSA’s advisory board, are no longer with the company. To keep in sync with TTSA’s public benefit mission of informed entertainment media, the company plans to keep its science advisory board, whose connections will influence TTSA’s stories for film, and to add a board member with expertise in the film industry."

The UAP interests of aerospace companies, and some of their employees

Introduction and background

Aerospace companies, particularly in the United States, have had a long history of interest in Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP.) It is a natural fit. UAP exhibit a number of "observables" which would be valuable to an aerospace company, in terms of understanding advanced physics; advanced propulsion systems, and in general, advanced technology.

It has also been suggested by some, that if you were looking to reverse engineer an advanced object, then why not bury such a project within a private aerospace company? The Wilson/Davis document, of course, implies that this has already been done.

The purpose of this blog post is to bring together some of the information about the interest of aerospace companies, and some of their employees, in UAP. It is not meant to be comprehensive but to provide a broad overview of the subject.

Firstly, though some basic information about the major players:

1921 Douglas Aircraft Company established.

1926 Lockheed Corporation established.

1939 McDonnell Aircraft Corporation founded.

1961 The Martin Marietta Corporation founded.

1967 McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Douglas Aircraft Company merge to form McDonnell Douglas.

1995 Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta merge to form Lockheed Martin. 

1997 McDonnell Douglas merges with Boeing.

1947: Lockheed statement

In an article in Volume 26, number 3 (pp3-9, 32) of the International UFO Reporter, by Joel Carpenter, titled "The Lockheed UFO Case, 1953," Carpenter mentions a 7 July 1947 official statement from Lockheed on the subject of "flying discs."

Hal Hibbard, then Lockheed's Chief Engineer, is reported to have told the Los Angeles Times:

"They're either reflections from planes flying singly or in formation, or mass hysteria and the desire of various persons to get their names in the paper. I know of no secret aviation project which would have the slightest bearing on these so-called phenomena."

1949: Lockheed employee sighting

A May 2020 post on the blog "The Saucers that time forgot" led to an image of an interdepartmental communication from Clarence L. ("Kelly") Johnson of Lockheed, to John L. Hill, dated 8 July 1949 reported a 17 June 1949 sighting by a Lockheed employee. Johnson wrote, in part:

"As you know, I have been very interested in the possibility of such things existing, and my discussions with certain people in the Air Force, as well as late newspaper reports indicate there is something to flying discs."

https://www.fold3.com/image/6314607

There is an existing Project Blue Book (PBB) case file on this sighting. Below is an image of the PBB index card and the PBB conclusion.

https://www.fold3.com/image/6314586

1951: Johnson sighting

Also in Carpenter's 2001 IUR article was mention of a sighting by Kelly Johnson himself, in "about November 1951." Below are the available details, in Johnson's own words, from 1953:

"I should also add that about two years ago Mrs. Johnson and I saw an object which i believed at the time, and still do, to be a flying saucer, flying west of Brents Junction, California on a very dark night. I did not see the object itself, but saw a clearly defined flame or emanation, as shown in the attached sketch. The object was travelling from east to west at a very high speed and with no noise. The flame or emanation was a beautiful light blue, having extremely well defined edges. My first impression was that it was an afterburning aircraft but the lack of noise and the pure speed of the plume eliminated that possibility completely."

http://www.nicap.org/docs/lockufo2.pdf

January 1953: Lockheed patent

Thanks to an article in the blog "Saucers that time forgot" we know that Lockheed employee Nathan C. Price designed and then filed a patent, for a Vertical take-off and landing "saucer" shaped aircraft, in January 1953. The machine was designed for vertical ascents and descents, and for long range flights at speeds up to Mach 4, with a ceiling around 100,000 feet. It was never built. 

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/86/8e/4b/c143e484f8dae6/US3066890.pdf

 December 1953: Johnson sighting

On 16 December 1953, Kelly Johnson and his wife observed a black silhouette, to the west of a ranch house near Agoura, California. For five minutes it was observed both by naked eye and through binoculars. It appeared stationary then dwindled in size and disappeared in 90 seconds in an apparent long, shallow climb.

http://www.nicap.org/docs/lockufo2.pdf

At the same time, a group of Lockheed employees, aboard a Lockheed test aircraft, outbound from Burbank, California also sighted a sharp-edged black silhouette in the sky, over the sea. After about five minutes, it shrank from view.

The PBB Case file, which records the cause as a lenticular cloud, may be viewed here.  

1954 - 1955: Douglas Aircraft Company study

In Jacque Vallee's book "Forbidden Science: Volume 2" page 336 there is a diary entry which reads:

"Belmont Saturday 15 May 1976

...I got an interesting call from a vice-president with Environmental Systems in Van Nuys who'd read Invisible College. As early as 1955 he belonged to a UFO group at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica. He worked there with Wheaten (now at Lockheed in the submarine division) Ted Gordon, Klemperer and Dave Crook. They were asked by McDonnell management to assess cases from Blue Book, complete with photos and films. Their conclusion which they were asked to "forget" was that the objects used multi-dimensional physics. He now claims they found no less than 2,000 sites in Owen valley alone, including one where objects seem to go in and out of solid ground."

Image from PDF on file

 

I researched this 1955 study and ended up writing two blog posts about it, here and here.  Ultimately, I was able to locate, thanks to Boston researcher Barry Greenwood, 100 pages of documents generated by the study, a few pages of which are available on the Internet here.  The project was headed by Wolfgang Benjamin Klemperer, head of their Missile Division,  and staffed by Elmer P Wheaton; Theodore Jay Gordon; Dave Crook and A M Rochlen. Given that the names Vallee provides are all in the 1955 documents, bar that of Rochlen, I wonder if Rochlen was Vallee's informant? 

Courtesy of Barry Greenwood

In the 2012 book "UFOs and Government" by Swords, M. et al (Anomalist Books, San Antonio) there is the following:

"Douglas' Missile Engineering Department had made an analysis of the Great Falls, Montana, film of 1950 incidental to a study of publications dealing with unusual propulsion systems...The Douglas analysis was done by Dr. Robert L Baker."

Memo - Klemperer to Wheaton 1 March 1955 

 The analysis was published in March 1956 as "Photogrammatic Analysis of the 'Montana' Film Tracking Two UFOs" by Baker, R.M.L. 

Mid 1950's: Anti-gravity research

"The Hunt for Zero Point" by Nick Cook, is a 2002 book which explores research conducted into anti-gravity as a means of advanced propulsion. Cook was employed by the English Journal "Jane's Defence Weekly" and became intrigued by the concept of anti-gravity research. He came across the fact that in the mid 1950's a number of aerospace companies in the U.S. were actively researching anti-gravity. One of the most prominent was headed by George S. Trimble, head of Advanced projects and Vice President of the G-project for Martin Aircraft. To read more on Cook's work click here. 

1965: Martin Marietta

In Jacques Vallee's "Forbidden Science: Volume 1" in an entry dated 17 May 1965, Vallee writes:

"A curious incident recently took place during a conversation with a Martin Marietta engineer who says he is compiling a book on UFOs. The engineer circulated a black binder with material in it, and when someone turned a page the engineer leapt out of his chair like a tiger and took the binder away, tersely spitting out '...the other papers have nothing to do with that.' We were left fairly shocked at the violence of his reaction. Of course we wondered what else might be in that binder. There are rumors that major aerospace companies are conducting their own secret studies of UFOs."

1967-1968: Study undertaken on behalf of President Lyndon B. Johnson

In the period 1967-1968, Frank F. Rand Jnr., became an assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Johnson had been contacted by researcher James E. McDonald about UFOs. President Johnson himself retained a long term interest in the subject. The President asked Rand to look into the topic and report back to him; and Rand and his team spent nine months conducting a scientific investigation of the topic, and concluded by providing a report to President Johnson.

By 2001, Rand had prepared a book length manuscript, both about his career and the UFO study. It was titled "UFOs...Fact or Fiction" and U.S. researcher Michael Swords acquired a copy, which I have read. The manuscript was never published and few have seen it.

Some of Rand's team's conclusions were:

"There is no doubt that "UFOs" exist and are under control. Nor, do I doubt that there may well have been some harmless probes sent to our Earth from other civilizations beyond our solar system."

The other members of Rand's team were stated to have been Arthur Lundahl; General James T. Stewert; Dr. Brockway McMillan; Dr. "Lee Brockings" (pseudonym); a Dr. Bleakley and a Dr. Losh; plus of particular interest here, Clarence "Kelly" Johnson.  

1967-1970: The McDonnell Douglas "secret" study

In the July/August 1993 edition of the "International UFO Reporter," a McDonnell Douglas employee, Robert M. Wood revealed that his company had conducted a "secret" study of the subject of UFOs. 

Image from PDF on file

Wood recommended to management, a modest $M0.5 project to explore unpopular theories, conduct laboratory experiments and evaluate hypotheses, conduct field observations, and review the UFO literature. They agreed. At one stage the project employed four full time and three part time employees.

Image from PDF on file

A fuller description of the work undertaken, appeared much later, in an another article by Wood, this time in the October 2008 issue of the "MUFON Journal." Individuals mentioned as taking part in the project were Dr. Joseph M. Brown; Chan Thomas; Paul Wilson; Stanton Friedman; Dr. Darell Boyd Harmon; Leon A. Steinert and Harvey C. Bjornlie. I wrote a lengthy piece about the project; its paperwork and its findings in a blog post dated 22 September 2020 If you would like to read 275 pages of the project's documentation, you can go to this website. 

Robert M. Wood in the 1993 article stated:

"The Project was terminated in 1969 at my recommendation due to our inability to identify the timing of the payoff...the code name was "BITBR" - standing for "Boys in The back Room."

Wood also revealed that:

"The only contact with the government about the Project came towards the end of the spring of 1970 when there was interest expressed by one of the intelligence agencies. This resulted in a draft proposal to "mimic, imitate or duplicate the observables associated with UFOs. "We called this potential opportunity Project Skylite and prepared a good deal of technical information in anticipation of contract work. It never materialized with McDonnell Douglas to my knowledge."

Researcher Lois Taylor contacted me and provided me with a number of documents dealing with this Project which I wrote about in a blog article dated 15 October 2020.

In an internal memo dated 2 May 1968, and titled "Advanced Vehicle Concept Research" by Wood, Brown and Harmon, there appears a section headed "Competitors efforts":

"Hughes (10 men at Fullerton under Meiers); Lockheed Sunnyvale; Rand has proposed project (as have several other companies); Several companies have UFO related efforts. Raytheon has had computer project from Condon (U. of Colo.)"

 1973: Sample from the 1897 Aurora, Texas "crash" analyzed

In the MUFON "Skylook" Journal, issue number 70, dated September 1973 (p.8) author Walt H. Andrus wrote a piece titled "Report on 1897 Aurora, Texas, Investigations."  Part of this reported that samples of materials found on the site of the alleged "crash" were sent to:

"John F. Schuessler, Deputy Director of MUFON and consultant in Aeronautics, on June 15. They have been submitted to laboratories of McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis for their expert analysis."

As far as I can determine, results of analyzes were never published.

1974: UFO research for the CIA?

The 10 December 1974 entry in Vallee's "Forbidden Science: Volume Two" includes:

"Kit reluctantly confirmed that there was a group of 15 engineers in the Midwest ( I assumed it was McDonnell in St. Louis) are secretly doing UFO research for CIA under cover of 'aeronautical research.' They're getting data through leaks from CUFOS and other amateurs."

Note: Kit refers to Christopher 'Kit' Green.

1978: McDonnell Douglas continues its studies

Two more pieces of information from Jacques Vallee.

a. Diary entry dated 5 January 1978

"Yesterday, I received a phone call from a fellow who works with McDonnell Douglas Aeronautics. He told me that 'on a private basis' he was compiling a new close encounter database. I am not stupid enough to believe that his company has no corporate interest in the matter. They have an on-going secret project well funded with the blessing and official monitoring of the CIA and they.re pretty connected with major UFO groups all of which love the secret intrigue of a link to the spooks even as they vilify the government cover up' in their public pronouncements."

b. Diary entry dated 15 October 1978

"McDonnell Douglas is continuing their quiet but well funded study with John Schuessler, also monitored by the Agency. They seem to be looking for exotic alloys. Who is kidding who? Why is the scientific community kept in the dark about these projects? Why all the secrecy? Where do the research results go?" 

1979 -1986: McDonnell and parapsychology

Between 1979 and 1986 the McDonnell Foundation funded a permanent paranormal PSI laboratory in St. Louis, Missouri. James Smith McDonnell was Chairman of the Board of McDonnell Douglas.  

1985: The ATP

The Advanced Theoretical Physics (ATP) Project was co-founded by John B. Alexander and Dr. Ronald F.  Blackburn. Blackburn was a microwave specialist, formerly at the Lockheed "Skunk Works" and according to Jacques Vallee ("Forbidden Science: Volume 3" diary entry dated 11 April 1989)  Blackburn hinted that he studied UFOs. I profiled Blackburn in a blog post in 2019.

The ATP had a number of participants, who met to discuss current and future research into the topic. For a look at a batch of ATP documents please click here.

Among ATP participants were at least five individuals who worked for aerospace companies. These were Ron Blackburn, Milton Jantzen and Don Keuble from Lockheed; and Bill Souder and Robert Wood from McDonnell Douglas.

Although Alexander briefed a number of high ranking U.S. government officials while ATP was operational, eventually no funding was forthcoming to support the ATP research agenda, and it was disbanded. 

1986: Ben Rich

Over the years, much has been made of certain statements made by Ben Rich of Lockheed. In 1986 Ben Rich was Executive V.P. and General manager, Advanced Development Projects, Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company. In a letter dated 10 July 1986 from researcher John Andrews to Rich, Andrews asked if Rich's beliefs covered both manmade and extraterrestrial UFOs? In a response dated 21 July 1986, on Lockheed letterhead, Rich replied:

"Yes, I'm a believer in both categories. I feel everything is possible. Many of our manmade UFOs are Un Funded Opportunities."

 I image the correspondence below from a PDF I have on file:

1992 - 2012: Robert Bigelow and Bigelow Aerospace

Las Vegas businessman Robert T. Bigelow has had a long-term interest in both UAP and the paranormal. He expressed this interest in a series of business entities, commencing with the Bigelow Foundation in the early 1990's; the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS -1996-2004); and finally the Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) between 2008-2012. I have reviewed each of these entities and their research in a series of blog posts which can be found by using the blog search function. Much of the information published by NIDS can still be found on their now defunct website using the Wayback machine.  Bigelow Aerospace was founded in 1998 and BAASS in 2008. 

BAASS received two years of funding, $M22 in total,  from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency under a contract for the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) Robert Bigelow also reached into his own pocket to add to the DIA funds. Very little detailed information has been publicly released by either the DIA or BAASS concerning the AAWSAP.

Mid 1990's: Project Greenglow

https://www.amazon.com/Greenglow-search-gravity-control-Ronald/dp/1784620238

In the mid-1990's aerospace engineer Dr. Ron Evans was working for British Aerospace (which became BAE Systems in 1999.) He asked management if he could investigate "gravity control?" They said yes; gave him an office and a small budget. He called the Project, Project Greenglow and worked on it until he retired in 2005. In 2015 he published a book called "Greenglow and the Search for Gravity Control."

2001: Donald Phillips

According to Steven M. Greer in his 2001 book "Disclosure Project Briefing Document," Donald  Phillips is said to have been in the USAF, and also to have worked with Kelly Johnson at Lockheed. In his Disclosure testimony he speaks of how ETs met with Earth's leaders in 1954; leading to the advancement of our technology. Phillips refers to Colonel Corso's work as evidence to support his own testimony. 

2014: Boyd B. Bushman

Boyd B. Bushman worked for Lockheed Martin, and held a number of patents, filed between 1989 and 2002, assigned to Lockheed. Before he passed away in August 2014 he was interviewed on video about his views on UAP. In the video he speaks of UFOs as being real; that they are extraterrestrial visitors and that bodies and craft have been recovered. He produced, and showed. photographs of UFOs and an alien, which he spoke of as if he had met them himself; and of the alien's planet. He claimed that Russia and China were both working at Area 51. He also stated that he analyzed pieces of UFOs, which had the property of reducing the weight of anything near the pieces. Critics of his video account pointed out that the alien in the photograph strongly resembles a toy alien doll available at Wal-Mart.

2016: William Tompkins

https://www.amazon.com.au/Selected-Extraterrestrials-secret-think-tanks-secretaries/dp/1515217469

A book titled "Selected by Extraterrestrials" authored by William Mills Tompkins, was published in 2016. The book is reportedly an autobiography, although reads like a B grade novel, by Tompkins who stated that he was a long-term employee of the Douglas Aircraft Company, back to 1953. He makes statements such as:

"After extensive study in 1953, Advanced Design concluded that UFOs were actually interplanetary spacecraft, piloted by extremely advanced extraterrestrial beings." 

For further information, please see my blog post dated 28 April 2016.  

What of the now?

The demonstrated long-term interest in the topic by aerospace companies, would indicate to me that there is most probably some aerospace company, right now, conducting current research into UAP. With all the interest in the 2004 Nimitz encounters; the 2014/2015 off the East coast of the U.S. training area incursions; and other cases since, I would suggest that one or more of the major aerospace company players has its own UAP research program on the go. This is separate from the official U.S. government UAP Task Force.

There are undocumented claims by a number of UAP researchers, that they are aware of four other U.S. research programs dealing with UAP. However, there is no indication that these are lodged within private aerospace companies. Have any blog readers any insight into such a current aerospace company program?

Update: 23August 2021

The German Aerospace Society held a meeting where they discussed SETI and UAP. Click here for the link.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics held a panel discussion on UAP on 6 August 2021. Click here for the link. 

The Defense Intelligence Agency releases two more AASWAP Defense Intelligence Reference Documents

 Background

In a blog post dated 14 January 2020, I reported that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) had published its Freedom of Information Act request log for the year 2018, which extended between 1 October 2017 and 30 September 2018. I noted that the following year's log had not been posted, and as at today, this is still true. 

The 2018 log is full of requests for information about both the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification program (AATIP) and the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) One of these FOIA requests was made by U. S. researcher, Anthony Bragalia. Today, in a posting, Bragalia advised that he had received a response from the DIA. Below is an image of part of the DIA request log showing Bragalia's request.

The DIA response

In a letter to Bragalia, dated 8 January 2021, the DIA advised him that it was responding to a request dated 27 December 2017. The letter then went on to say that the request was "Requesting all information on test results from the UAP material from Bigelow Aerospace."

Here is a link to an image provided by Bragalia with full details of his request. 

The letter then went on to state that "A search of DIA's system of records located five documents (154 pages) responsive to your request." Some portions of the documents were withheld. 

What was provided?

The letter contained five attachments, namely five of the 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) whose titles and authors have been known for a lengthy period of time. These five documents were:

1. DIA-08-0911-012 titled "Metallic Glasses: Status and Prospect for Aerospace Applications."

2. DIA-08-0912-006 titled "Biomaterials."

3. DIA-08-0912-008 titled "Materials for Advanced Aerospace Platforms."

4. DIA-08_1003-011 titled "Metallic Spintronics."

5. DIA-08-1004-006 titled "Metamaterials for Aerospace Applications."

A search of my files revealed that copies of DIRDs 1, 3 and 5 had been previously released. However, numbers 2 and 4 had not. Checking the list of DIRDs in my files revealed that "Biomaterials" was authored by Dr. Bruce Towe of the University of Arizona, and "Metallic Spintronics" by Dr. M. Tsoi of the University of Texas-Austin.

A second 11 page PDF provided to Bragalia, turned out to be pages 24-34 of the DIRD "Metamaterials for Aerospace Platforms." 

Bragalia is to be congratulated for being one of the first UAP researchers to receive such a response from the DIA. I, like many others, now await responses to our own requests concerning AATIP and AAWSAP material.