British MoD File Release Highlights by European Initiatives

The late summer 2009 release of documents is just one of countless mysterious reports released as part of a three-year project between the MoD and The National Archives, aimed at opening up the records to a worldwide audience.

The Government 'X- Files', contains 14 files of sightings, letters and Parliamentary Questions - 4,000 pages in total. The global exopolitics community tends to view the various national file release projects as a positive move towards transparency in this field however it is seen more as contributing to the ongoing process of public acclimation rather than formal, 'big D' Disclosure by which the various governments make a formal acknowledgement of the extra-terrestrial presence.

In this article - the contributors to Exopolitics UK, Germany, Poland and Finland briefly address some of the key cases in the current release.

For this sites coverage of previous MoD releases - try the archive search. Download your own release documents here.

British MoD File Release Highlights by European Initiatives

File release summary -  August 2009

In addition to the incidents below, the current release also features reports about  numerous sightings over Scotland as Bonnybridge became the UFO hotspot of the mid-90s, sightings from Glastonbury and a report of wailing noises and mysterious lights being beamed on to a cemetery in Cheshire in July 1996. Investigations discovered four smouldering railway sleepers, one with a hole burnt through it. One young man claimed he saw a UFO hovering over a cemetery before it fired burning laser beams into the ground.

According to the released police log by the MoD, a bright yellow light followed the youngster, who was crossing a footbridge from Avondale Drive into Upton. The light was 'two houses high', he reported, and followed him when he tried to walk away from it.

The release is also broken down into regional reports from individual cities and counties in the UK. For example UFO sightings in London between 1993-94 included dozens of sightings of a brightly illuminated oval objects caused by what was actually a Virgin airship. Some accounts include sketches and several people refused to believe the UFO was in fact the airship. See DEFE 24/1963, 1959, 1960. Other regional incidents are listed in the index document.

Some commentators have made the link between a peak in reported incidents during 1978 as this was the same year that the infamous film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' was released. There is of course a link between media exposure and sightings but this issue does not detract from the very real issues revealed by public reporting of possible extra-terrestrial related episodes.

The Cosford UFO

Around 124 pages of the newly-released files are dedicated to the “Cosford UFO Case”. During the night of March 30 to 31, 1993, several police and military officers among more than 70 witnesses observed a number of self-illuminated Objects of considerable size, crossing Central England. The file DEFE 24/2096 contains more than 30 eye-witness reports, all of which deal with a timespan of approximately six hours.

“The lights were circular in shape and gave off no beam”, says a formerly confidential report by a police officer, who was on patrol that night, “they were creamy white in colour and constant in size and in relation to each other (…) There was no sound of any engine noise despite there being no wind and the sky being free from cloud. (…) A slight red glow could be seen from the rear of the lights as they disappeared from view over the horizon.” (DEFE 24/2086 – page 57)

More and more reports from civil and official eye-witnesses start to pour in, some of which are forwarded to the British MoD by civil UFO organizations. The DUFORO organization favours a re-entry of a rocket decay as possible explanation:

“Most of these reports (if not all!) were, I have reason to believe, their observations of a Russian 2^nd stage launch vehicle of the Tsyklon class, which had previously (about midnight) put into orbit a Cosmos 2238 Satellite. Its return to earth had occurred at approx 1.05 am and was first seen over Innis, Ireland at that time (…).” (DEFE 24/2086 – page 11)

Since some of the witnesses observed what appeared to be smoke trails behind the object, the decay might account for at least some of the sightings. However, they cannot explain certain details, as the Dead of the UFO Desk points out:

“Whilst the decay mentioned (…) might explain some of the high altitude sightings, it does not explain the low level sightings. It also fails to explain (person X’s) report of a low hum, or the report from the Met Officer at RAF Shawbury. The spread of timings and bearings of the sightings also argues against this decay explaining all of them.” (DEFE 24/2086 – page 44)

Indeed. Because what said officer from RAF Shawbury reported to have seen is nothing less than an “object projecting a narrow beam of light at the ground at a height of 400-500 feet”. He estimated its size at “somewhere a CI30 and B747”, when it passed over his head at an estimated 4000 feet. Other witnesses reported seeing the object “hovering or moving very slowly”. (DEFE 24/2086 page 53).

After consultation with the Royal Observatory of Greenwich, meteor showers were also ruled out – the nature of the object remains a mystery. “I have spoken to as many of the police and military witnesses as I could contact”, the report continues, “nearly everyone I spoke to said that the object was unlike anything they had ever seen before.”

Also, conventional aircraft being an explanation for the sightings can be ruled out.

“As far as can be ascertained, no military aircraft of any kind were operating in UK airspace at that time, as confirmed by both HQ MATO at RAF Uxbridge, and RAF West Drayton.”

The fact that the objects were not registered on radar is especially intriguing for the Head of the UFO Desk. He obviously fears that the media would start to ask the right questions:

“…there is always a possibility that questions will be asked, and it might be difficult to maintain our usual line that no further action was being taken as the sightings had been looked at, and were judged to be of no defence significance. (…) It seems that an unidentified object of unknown origin was operating in the UK Air Defence Region without being detected on radar; this would appear to be of considerable defence significance, and I recommend that we investigate further, within MOD or with the US authorities.” (DEFE 24/2086 page 76).

In order to explain the unusual sightings, the Head of UFO Desk seriously considers the possibility of a US unacknowledged experimental aircraft named “Aurora”. He writes to the Assistant Chief of Air Staff:

“Given recent speculation about Aurora by both media and MPs it is surprising that so far this has not been taken up by the Press or, indeed, again by MPs. Frankly, I can see little that we can do to follow it up. If there has been some activity of US origins which is known to a limited circle in MoD and is not being acknowledged it is difficult to investigate further. I would however be interested in your views in light of your earlier interest about Aurora.” (DEFE 24/2086 page 53).

However, the Chief of the Air Staff does not appear willing to contribute information. In his answering letter, he writes:

“In spite of the quality of the many witnesses who report the unusual sightings on 31 Mar, I can add nothing to the debate.” (DEFE 24/2086 – page 47)

In summary, neither atmospheric phenomena nor conventional aircraft can account for the eye-witness reports about a slowly-moving, hovering craft which projected light beams to the ground. Whether a top-secret military craft was seen or indeed an ET craft, remains a mystery. If it was indeed an unacknowledged US craft, then the case would raise some very interesting questions. The origin and modus operandi of the apparent antigravity technology would certainly be one of them.

Summary by Robert - German Initiative.

UFOs reported over Belgium - 1989-1990

The British government was apparently worried about Britain's own national security in the context of the Belgian UFO wave (DEFE 24/1970, page 87).

The British government asked Belgian Air Force for "official position" on this subject

Belgian Air Force confirmed in the official statement sent to the MoD in November 1993 that in March 1990 the Belgian Air Force scrambled F-16 fighters to intercept UFOs reported by police officers and others and that there was an "information barrier" on the subject (DEFE 24/1970 p. 86-87) and in a letter Malcolm Rifkind explains to Lord Hill-Norton that the MoD was not informed of the incident at the time and concluded there was no threat to the UK (DEFE 24/1970 p.58-59).

In addition see (not an exhaustive list):

DEFE 24/1970 p66, p. 70-71, p. 75-76 and p.86-87; DEFE 24/1960 (p. 320-324) -

a four-page account of the UFOs detected by NATO radars and F-16 fighters over Belgium in 1990, which remain unexplained. General Wilfried de Brouwer, Chief of Operations, Belgian Air Staff, confirms that F-16 pilots obtained "lock-ons"  with their radars, but were unable to explain the phenomena, because UFOs kept disappearing on radar and from sight as jets approached (page 323). Reports from eyewitnesses on the ground, says de Brouwer, showed that the bright shining objects entirely disappeared when the F-16 jets approached. The radar operators reported however that the radar echoes reappeared at the same location after the jets had landed (page 322). Due to the many references by eyewitnesses on the ground and the radar observations, the Belgian Air Force concluded that "a number of non-authorized air activity has actually taken place" (p. 324).

DEFE 24/1962 (p.177-179)

DEFE 24/1965 (p.272)

In July 1990 there was press conference about the radar recordings informed. Due to increased media interest, the Chief of Staff of information imposed a barrier on this topic

(DEFE 24/1970, page 86).

Summary by Olli Pajula - Exopolitics Finland

Crop Circle Incidents

It is not unexpected but really exiting that UK releases new files regarding to the UFO. One, I am especially interested in is crop circles. We all know about this phenomena . Significant is, that the members of Parliament show interest in this subject, which might not be in favor of professional debunkers. Crop circles are appearing all over the world but somehow Britain is particularly busy place for enthusiasts researching it and looks like researchers  are not only from the  private sectors. Well, maybe I exaggerate a bit with this statement but reading from resent released MoD documents one can see there is dialog  between high officials in government, questions are being asked. MoD does not confirm nor deny it. They take no definitive position, hold no fixed views on the phenomenon.

What is ironic to me that Ministry of Defence refers Ann Winterton MP to the civilian organizations such as Centre for Crop Studies etc. I think we still have to wait for more formal explanation. More important from the recent document is Rendlesham Forest incident, UFOs reported over Belgium, or UFO sightings in London. This is a slow process, we can only hope that government is on the right truck and we will get it all in the near future. UK is becoming  leading country in effort of disclosure, and other nations might follow.

Summary by B.J. Witelus - Exopolitics Poland

Britain's Roswell? - More Rendlesham File Releases

The bulk of the Rendlesham case data reports can be found in the current batch of releases in DEFE 24/1948 and DEFE  24/1970.

Coming just a few months after the UK's Exopolitics Conference where police investigator Gary Hesteltine read out a new statement by Colonel Charles Halt, we now have more official items to examine on this one-of-a-kind case from 1980. The scope of the incident which took place at the US run Bentwaters and Woodbridge bases near Ipswich, England is reflected in the amount of material contained in the current, staged release. In addition to possile extra-terrestrial engagement - the case was hushed up in its immediate aftermath as it became known that the USA were operating a nuclear capability from the base against all international agreement and without the knowledge of the British Government -  or at least lower ranking government and military officials. There is also testimony from Halt that the UFOs sent beams of light down into the nuclear missile bunkers and changed missile lock-on codes. Could it be that the cold war was at the point of imminent conflict and these visiting 'Others' arrived to drop a rather large hint?

This includes:

• RAF covering note to the MoD
• The infamous memo by Col Halt
• Letter from Lord Trefgarne
• Information on a 'forged' letter on the incident
• Communications with then Defence Secretary Michael Hestletine
• Supposed 'explanation' and 'press line' including the laughable lighthouse theory

Lord Hill Norton features in much of the evidence - including its discussion in the Lords' Parliamentary session.  It is worth highlighting that Hill Norton became exasperated with the progress he was making over the years with regards the Rendlesham and ended up summing the situation up neatly by suggesting that either:

"The UK and USA are employing personnel that hallucinate or something of deep defence significance took place that night..." [para-phrased].

This issue of "Defence Significance" is one we see repeated again and again by the British military and goverment with regards the wider UFO/ET issue and yet it is becoming somewhat ironic that the claim of 'no defence significance' is contradicted frequently in their own file-release reports - most noteably including the Milton Torres case where a US Mustang pilot was ordered to shoot-down and UFO over mainland Britain.

The late Lord Hill-Norton, a member of what he described as the 'rather ineffective' House of Lords UFO Group, wrote to Mr Heseltine in May 1985 to express his concern over the 'puzzling and disquieting features' of the case. He referred to the USAF report submitted by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt in which the deputy base commander details the account of three patrolmen.

Lt Col Halt wrote: 'The individuals reported seeing a strange glowing object in the forest. 'The object was described as being metallic in appearance and triangular in shape, approximately two to three metres across the base and approximately two metres high. It illuminated the entire forest with a white light. The object itself had a pulsing red light on top and a bank of blue lights underneath. The object was hovering or on legs. As the patrolmen approached the object, it manoeuvred through the trees and disappeared.'

The commander himself described witnessing three depressions in the ground the next day where the object had been sighted and later that night he was among several men who saw a 'red sun-like light' through the trees which 'moved about and pulsed'. He said: 'At one point it appeared to throw off glowing particles and then broke into five separate white objects and then disappeared.'

Lord Hill-Norton said if Lt Col Halt's report was accurate 'there is evidence that British airspace and territory are vulnerable to unwarranted intrusion to a disturbing degree'. He added that if the report was to be dismissed 'then we have evidence - no less disturbing, I suggest - that a sizeable number of USAF personnel at an important base in British territory are capable of serious misperception, the consequence of which might be grave in military terms'.

An MoD briefing was handed to the Defence Secretary following Lord Hill-Norton's letter for use in a House of Lords Defence debate. The note states the MoD's final position on the incident, saying the USAF report was 'carefully examined' and the conclusion was that there was 'no Defence interest' and 'no evidence of anything having intruded into British airspace'.

It noted: 'Indeed the high visibility of the phenomenon reported - multi-coloured bright lights - is totally inconsistent with a covert entry into the UK'.

The briefing note said UFO sightings were 'not a matter the MoD take lightly' and continued: 'I can accept that people do from time to time see things in the sky which they find difficult to explain. I am sure your Lordships will agree that in many cases normal explanations come to light, such as falling meteorites or satellite debris, unusual cloud formations or aircraft lights... What the true explanation is, I do not know.'

Summary by David - Exopolitics UK