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.