The Australian Department of Defence and UAP - the latest

Protocols

In June 2019, I asked the Australian Department of Defence if they had "...any current guidelines concerning the reporting by Department of Defence personnel of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?" Their response was "Defence does not have a protocol that covers recording or reporting of UFO sightings."

Later, on 16 June 2021, I submitted an FOIA request to the Australian Department of Defence. "I wish to obtain copies of emails generated by the Department of Defence between 1 January 2021 and 16 June 2021, which refer to the terms "unidentified drone;" "unidentified aircraft;" "Unidentified object;" or "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena."  On 13 July 2021, the Department's response, in short, was "No records were found."

The latest

Chief of Airforce, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld

Today, the Australian ABC news carried an account concerning statements about UAP made by Chief of Airforce, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld. This arose in the context of a Senate Estimates Committee hearing.

Senator Whish-Wilson

The ABC reported, that Green Senator Peter Whish-Wilson asked Hupfeld a question about the June U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence's preliminary UAP report. Hupfeld responded that while he had no formal knowledge of the findings in the report he was aware of the report via media accounts. 

Air Marshall Hupfeld stated that:

"...he had not seen any reports of 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena' - or UAPs - in Australian airspace."

"I'm not familiar with, nor have seen any reports or information regarding UAPs in an Australian airspace context, and there's no air-force-led task force that looks into the phenomena."

Asked whether the Jindalee radar system could detect UAP's he replied:

"It's not possible for me to determine whether the JORN would see something like an unusual airborne phenomenon, without knowing the construction materials, and other performance parameters of such an object, if indeed it was an object."

Update: 2 November 2021

A transcript of the relevant Senate Estimates Committee, dated 27 October 2021 has been published.  The relevant section is as follows:

Senator WHISH-WILSON: I'm not sure exactly who to ask to respond to these questions, because they may well not have been asked before. I was wondering if I could have someone senior from the Air Force— particularly a pilot, if that's possible. 

CHAIR: Who knows how to fly a plane! Senator Payne: We'll do our best to find you a pilot from the Air Force. I'll call the Chief of Air Force; there's a plan! 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: The Chief of Air Force would be great, if that's possible. Senator Payne: He's a pilot; I've seen him fly. 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I am a pilot. I used to fly aeroplanes—not currently now. I think I've got the information you might need, pending your question. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: I know we have close ties with the US. We share intelligence. My questions relate to the release of the report on 25 June 2021 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Preliminary assessment: unidentified aerial phenomena. This is an issue that has been raised in Congress; the Department of Defense has submitted a report. It's become a significant matter of public interest. I suppose my first question is: are you aware of that report? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I'm not formally aware of the report. I think there was an article in the newspapers and commentary about that at some stage. But I'm not quite sure of the content of the report. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Okay. Just as a matter of interest, what questions did you think I was going to ask? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I thought you were going to ask questions about aircraft, but it sounds like you're going to ask questions about UFOs. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: We'd be very interested to hear your views on this. Yes, it has been reported in the media extensively both here and internationally. I'll just read you a few statements or the executive summary from that report. It basically talks about UAPs as being something that the US Department of Defense is taking seriously, and that the Pentagon has a taskforce assigned to better understand the data interpretation of recent sightings. The report says: 'UAP clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security.' Then it goes on to talk about the 144 cases that the Pentagon looked at. Only one was clearly explainable; the others remain unexplained. It says that, after carefully considering the information, the taskforce reported that UAPs largely witnessed firsthand by military aviators were 'collected from systems that were considered to be reliable.' It went on: 'Most reports described UAP as objects that interrupted pre-planned training or other military activity.' Could I ask whether the Australian Air Force or the Australian military also have a taskforce looking at UAPs? Is this something that you're familiar with at all in your brief? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I'm not familiar with nor have I seen any reports or information regarding UAPs in an Australian airspace context. There's no Air Force led taskforce that looks into this phenomena.

WHISH-WILSON: We don't do any monitoring of this at all? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: There have been no reports that I'm aware of, Senator. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: No informal reports from pilots or across other military activities? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: None from any aircrew or aviation organisation that I'm aware of. The only experience that I have in this was over 40 years ago when some reports were made and we launched Mirage aircraft. The phenomena turned out to be errors on the radar screens in our normal civil air-traffic control system, but no physical objects were detected. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Does the characterisation of the DOD, in relation to their report, of both intent and advanced technology concern you? Basically, they're saying they can't explain what these things are, but they would like to better understand them. 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I can't answer for another sovereign nation. That is a matter for the US and the Pentagon and the Department of Defense in the US. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Would it be possible for you to see if, across the other services, there has been any kind of reporting system in relation to this in Australia? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: Certainly, I can take that on notice. But I feel confident that, as the airspace control authority within Australia, if there had been any detections or items such as this, I would have been aware of them. But I can take that on notice to double-check. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Okay. Typically, would something like Jindalee be able to pick-up fast-moving objects, or is it more designed to look at ships and— 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: Senator, the Jindalee Operational Radar Network is designed to detect aircraft and some ships. I won't go into the details of the nature of that detection, as we would then be getting into very classified areas. It's not possible for me to determine whether the JORN would see something like an unusual airborne phenomenon without knowing the construction, materials and other performance parameters of such an object, if, indeed, it was an object. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: As a pilot, have you seen any of the video footage that's been released by the US military? It's unclassified and it's been reported on by either the New York Times or the Washington Post. Even The Conversation here in Australia, which, as you know, is quite a respectable, conservative media outlet, has written a report. They're not saying they agree that these things may be more than aberrations, but they are saying, 'Finally, there's a mature conversation now happening around UAPs and we're trying to better understand them.' 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: Through professional curiosity, I did look at some of the videos that were attached to those media reports. They were interesting but not compelling to me. I don't believe everything that I read in the media. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: No, nor do I. It's certainly something we learn in Canberra. It's just interesting. Do you think it would be possible for pilots to spoof that kind of thing? 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I'm not sure what you mean by 'spoof'. Are you talking about the— 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Obviously the video has come from US Air Force pilots. I think there are 80 different sources, and the DOD and Pentagon are taking this seriously. 

Air Marshal Hupfeld: I'm not really able to comment on that. There are too many variables to even form a view. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: Thank you for that. If you could just take that on notice, that would be excellent. 

Senator Payne: I can say with some confidence that after over two decades of participating in the Senate estimates process this is the first occasion on which in any capacity I have had the opportunity to observe a conversation and a question-and-answer session on such an issue. So thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: My pleasure, Senator Payne. I do notice our key ally is taking this very seriously. Senator Payne: I heard you. 

Senator WHISH-WILSON: It is now emerging as a matter of public interest. So I'm glad you appreciate that. Senator Payne: I listened with great interest. I'm glad we could find you a pilot.

Update: 4 November 2021

On 28 October 2021, the Senator was interviewed by Brian Carlton on Triple M, Hobart, Tasmania, 107.3FM. They discussed the Senator's appearance on the Senate Estimates Committee of 27 October 2021. I noted the following points:

1. The Senator thought that as the U.S. and Australia are close allies that we may be doing something to look at UAP.

2. The Senator was surprised that the Chief of Air had not read the June 2021 Office of the Director of National Intelligence UAP report. 

3, 20 years ago, a friend of the Senator's who served in the Special Forces in Iraq and East Temor, told the Senator a story. Early one morning, he was on an exercise on a boat, at an undisclosed location. The boat was followed by a metallic object. In July 2021, after the DNI report came out, the Senator was in Western Australia and had a beer with his mate. Talking about UAP his mate asked if he remembered him telling the Senator about the UAP from 20 years back? The Senator did and then decided he would ask some questions in Australian parliament.

4. The Senator will put some detailed questions to  follow up his Senate Estimates questions.

5. He believes someone in the Australian DOD should have spoken to US sources about the subject. 

Lacatski

Background

Updated 21 October 2021

As most blog readers will be aware, I have been closely following the stories of Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS); the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications program (AAWSAP); and the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) for several years. I have written and published over 50 blog posts about these topics. 

Fellow Australian Paul Dean was the first person outside of AAWSAP, to reveal that the New York Times 2017 article about AATIP, actually was about AAWSAP. Shortly after this, I was the first person outside of the U.S. Government to read an online copy of the AAWSAP Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) solicitation for proposals to run the AAWSAP. 

After all of that, what I was waiting for was the AAWSAP Defense Intelligence Agency contract manager, James T. Lacatski, to come forward and tell his story. I felt, and still feel, that researchers such as Paul Dean, Marc Cecotti; Roger Glassel; Curt Collins, myself and others, have done a reasonable job putting together the AAWSAP story, as outsiders to the program. 

This blog then, is filling in the gaps in the knowledge we drew together about AAWSAP. These gaps have been filled, due to the publication of a new book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" authored by James T. Lacatski; Colm Kelleher and George Knapp. Only the BAASS insiders could have provided us what is presented in the book. The authors advise that they use pseudonyms for some individuals, while revealing the real names of others. 

The following then, is not a "book review" or indeed a summary of what's in the book; but notes and my comments based on information new to me; or which I was vaguely aware of.

A chronology

March 2007 - Lacatski reads the book 2005 "Hunt for the Skinwalker" by George Knapp and Dr. Colm Kelleher. Lacatski then, is working at the DIA Defense Warning Office, and sees that the types of things described in the book could be a threat to the USA. 

19 June 2007 - Lacatski writes to Bigelow, after reading the book. Asks to visit Skinwalker Ranch (SWR.)

26 July 2007 - Lacatski visits SWR. Sees an "anomaly." It was "...a complex semi-opaque, yellowish, tubular structure." Seen for about 30 seconds in broad daylight inside one of the households. Present at the time were Robert Bigelow and the two ranch managers, who did not report seeing anything. 

29 January 2008 - BAASS is registered in the state of Nevada.

18 August 2008 - DIA puts out a call for proposals for AAWSAP. Solicitation number HHM402-07-R-0019. 

8 September 2008 - BAASS submits a proposal. This had nine points:

1. Global data collection.

2. Contact with people who may have novel technologies.

3. Laboratory program - SWR.

4. Collect oral histories.

5. Potential use Bigelow Aerospace space  platforms.

6. Access to existing DIA data.

7. Biological effects of advanced technologies.

8. Remote sensing.

9. Expert analysis and synthesis.

22 September 2008 - BAASS awarded the AAWSAP contract. First year $10 million, for BAASS proposals 1,4,6 and 9.  Second year $12 million. Contract number was HHM402-08-C-0072.

30 September 2008 - Bigelow goes on Coast to Coast radio show with George Knapp. Bigelow. describes the work of BAASS. Outlines AAWSAP without mentioning AAWSAP name. For my transcript of the interview, click here. 

30 September 2008 - April 2009 - Kelleher hires staff. More than 75 contractors. Several hundred part-time personnel doing field work. 

Comment: I think the several hundred figure, refers to MUFON field investigators.

Early November 2008 - Bigelow hires Colm Kelleher for BAASS. Kelleher previously worked for Bigelow's National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS.)

Early December 2008 - Kelleher interviews then hires Douglas Kurth. Kurth tells Kelleher about the 2004 Tic Tac encounter. Kelleher tells Lacatski.  Lacatski's associate Jonathon Axelrod (not real name) and team, investigate and document the encounter. 

Comments: 1. Kurth's LinkedIn page refers to the date he commenced, as December 2007, which has always puzzled me. December 2008 fits the timeline much. better. 2.  So, I deduce that Axelrod was the author of the 13 page 2004 "Executive Summary" Nimitz report, released by George Knapp. Researchers have pondered over who the author of this leaked document was. 

April 2009 - MUFON cases flowing to BAASS. For three such reports, here is a link to the actual MUFON reports.  BAASS has contracted labs to undertake material analysis. 

Comment:  I documented a spreadsheet of 71 cases which flowed to BAASS, from MUFON Journal sources. The earliest was 13 September 2005; the latest was dated 11 January 2010. 

8 May 2009 - Derek Jones case. Saw a large triangular shaped almost overhead, Shone a powerful torch at it, An intense blue white light 2-3 feet in diameter came from objects front center section. On him for three seconds, Felt heat, He filed a report with MUFON. Next day saw several helicopters in the area, Two men knocked on his door and interrogated him about sighting. BAASS tracked  vehicle plate involved to a Department of Homeland Security carpool. October 2009  Jones experiencing unusual multiple lumps. Potential for effects to be due to non-ionizing radiation.

Comments: 1. According to the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of the MUFON Journal, this case actually happened on 11 September 2009. MUFON case number 19255. Investigated by MUFON investigators John Kledis and Robert Coley. The Journal presents an excellent summary of this event. The location was actually Leasburg, North Carolina. The case was referred to BAASS by MUFON. Why Lacatski's book provides a different date and location, is unknown to me. 

2. The Lacatski book poses the question of whether or not, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were monitoring the MUFON Case Management System and found out about the case. Richard Lang, the MUFON/BAASS liaison individual, in his 2021 book "UFO Investigation: The methodology for a New Age. " has a section titled "Hidden cases." He writes:

"Toward the end of the program, issues about cases that were mysteriously disappearing overnight started to surface....high profile extremely interesting cases that were viewed by the Dispatch team overnight but somehow the following morning the cases disappeared from the system...Ultimately, I found evidence of it in what appeared to be a secret part of the file system."

24 June 2009 - Reid's letter to DoD. Asked  for project to become an Special Access program (SAP.) Used nickname for AAWSAP, of AATIP -not the later DoD AATIP program. Reid nominated a staffer Robert Herbert to deliver letter to DoD. Someone copied the letter and distributed it. At Under Secretary of Defense Intelligence (USDI),  General James R. Clapper got a copy. Meeting convened to discuss it. participants were:

* William Lynn, Deputy Sec of Defense, (real name.)

* Susan Jones- senior official USDI Special Programs Officer.

* Marcel Lettre - (real name). At Pentagon 2009-2017. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs.

* James R Clapper, USDI, (real name.)

* Robert Carlsberg, Senior DWO official at DIA.

The meriting decided to "postpone "any SAP status for AAWSAP. A SAP for "contract data exploitation was still determined to be necessary."

July 2009 -Lagol  California case. Blue lights appeared close by. The witness approached in a truck. LITS vanished. Roger saw object enter a portal in the sky. BAASS were advised about the case by MUFON. BAASS investigators themselves saw LITS via night vision google that was not visible to the naked eye, 257 page report submitted to DIA.

July 2009 - SWR visit by three. Jonathan Axelrod; Jim Costigan and David Wilson. Axelrod was friends with Lacatski. Axelrod was a senior aerospace engineer in Naval Intelligence. Lead investigator in 2009 of the 2004 Tic Tac case, which he had not finished investigating by July 2009. On SWR they encountered a temperature difference region; Night vision observation by one of men of a dark oval shape.  Shortly afterwards Axelrod's family experience a series of paranormal events at their home. Black humanoid shape, footsteps, blue orbs, huge wolf-like creature.

11 December 2009 -BAASS visits Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). Lacatski, Kelleher and BAASS Director of Investigations Larry Grossman visited AFOSI - Grossman was a former AFOSI CI operative. BAASS wanted AFOSI to identify any case caused by AF SAPs. BAASS would alert AFOSI if any of their Advanced technology objects were seen by large numbers of the public. They met Jack Angelo, (real name) Director of Operations, Office of Special Projects. BAASS wanted data on Oct/Nov 1975 AFBs incursions. 

Comment: From his visit to Brazil, the BAASS Director Of Investigations and Security was identified as one Loran Huffman. His LinkedIn page states he was at BAASS from January 2009 to March 2012, and a special agent with AFOSI between January 1985 and November 2000. He visited Brazil in May 2009. James A. Johnson was the BAASS Program Manager, Investigations. He also visited Brazil in May 2009. 

21 December 2010 - AAWSAP contract ceases, after an agreed three month contract extension.

7 February 2011 - Lacatski visits Department of Homeland Security seeking to create a DHS version of BAASS/AAWSAP. Nothing eventuated. 

General

1. The collective name given to the 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) was "Project Physics."

2. Undated: There was a visit to Washington by then Minister for Homeland Security in Brazil, General Paulo Roberto Yog de Miranda Ucboa. There was a dinner organized by Axelrod and Lacatski. Participants were:

Lacatski; Axelrod; Jim Costigan; David Wilson; Luis Elizondo then of USDI; Juliett Witt - Pentagon Operational Test and Evaluation Analyst and DoD Target Sensor Specialist.; Colm Kelleher; Robert Bigelow. Maybe others not named.

Witt visited SWR with Kellehr and Bigelow. Cone of silence,. Creature passed within  40 feet of her. Witt went home experienced sounds an footsteps.. Bird attack. Shadowy figures.

3. A case from 1 May 2005 to "Ron Becker." Biotechnologist. Daughter saw three blue orbs approach their car and one went through Becker's body. He felt ill immediately, Over weeks gained fifty pounds. Took until late 2008 for health to return. Early issues consistent with radiation insult. Daughter had plethora of paranormal events.

4. I deduce that Axelrod was the author of the 13 page 2004 "Executive Summary" Nimitz report. 

5. Capella data warehouse. Cases from US, Canada, Europe, Russia, South America. Capella comprised 11 databases. These were:

1. NIDS db.

2. Dominique Weinstein's pilot db.

3. Project Sign. Grudge, Project Blue Book db.

4. MUFON CMS db.

5. Project Colares db.

6. Canadian government release db.

7. UK government release db.

8. AAWSAP BAASS case db.

9. Skinwalker ranch db.

10. UFOCAT db.

11. Eyes-only physiological effect on individuals who spent time at SWR.

6. BAASS mechanical, electrical and software engineers designed a UAP monitoring platform could be deployed in the field.

7. BAASS chief biologist Roger Whittiker and BAASS biologist Amanda Kruse conducted seed germination experiment.

8. Attempts were made in 2011 to start a BAASS like program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Never happened. Contacts there named in book as Jim Bell and Sacha Mover. 

9. "The authors are aware that the AAWSAP BAASS Data Warehouse...had been recently reactivated and is currently in use in various locations related to the government study of UAPs."

Comment: Wouldn't you like to have a copy of this data warehouse?

10. Skinwalker Ranch continues to have events occurring there. 

Gone "fishing" again

 I wish to inform all my blog readers that, as I have many times in the past, I am taking a break from the subject. My previous breaks have ranged from six weeks to four years. I find that I am able to return to the topic; refreshed, with new ideas, and new projects. I always know when to stop for a while. I never know how long the duration will be. So, it is on this occasion.

From talking to other researchers in this field, I know there are quite a few who would benefit from also taking a break. However, I realise it is difficult to do so. There is always another case to investigate, another YouTube video to make; another weekly podcast to prepare. However, as never before, with the tremendous changes which have occurred since 2017, one needs to know when to stop for a while. 

So, this is the last blog post for some time. I will return at some future date.