Current Status of Unidentified Flying Objects UFO Project
AI Summary
This document outlines the current status of the CIA's Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) Project as of December 1953, detailing the responsibilities of the Physics and Electronics Division and the involvement of the USAF in UFO investigations.
Key Findings
- The CIA's Physics and Electronics Division oversees the UFO project, maintaining awareness of other agencies' activities. - The USAF's interest in UFOs is decreasing, with limited personnel assigned to the project. - ATIC (Aerial Phenomena Section) no longer conducts field investigations but manages reports and checks against various data sources. - Approximately 10% of reported sightings remain unsolved, and project Bluebook is being transferred to the Air Defense Command.
OCR Text
1 Approved for Rel ease 2026 17 December 1953 r,";g1,~0MNDUM TO, .Assistant Director, 3c:i.entif'ic Intelligence FROM : Chief, Physl cs and Electron.ics Division; SI SUBJECT : Current Status of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOB) Project. l. In accordarii'.~e with the verbal request ol' Mr. Brent,.. Exec/SI, on 30 November, the following resume of the current status or' unidenti fied flying objects activities has been prepared. 2. P&E Division assumed responsibility for the OSI project on unldentified f lying objects as a result oJ: ~,our memorandum of 27 Ma~ 1953. The project has been con:t'l~ed to rr:aintainiog awareness of the nctlvities of other agencies {notabl_y the USAF) in ·the unidentified f lying objects business and t o !aa.intenance of files. 3. Sta.tus ot' Depa.rtrnent of Defense Acti vi ties. . . a. Air Force. The Air Force continues to ,1JS.1.Gtain, but with aJ)parently decreasing emphasis, .Lts interest in UFOB's. The present interest of th•~ Directorate of Intel ligence, Hq. , USAF, is conf.).ned to a curso~ cop.,nlzance of ATIC's project (.iuebook No. 10073). At ATIC the project is carri ed by one officer (Capt. Charles A. Hardin), one airman (A/lC Max G. Futch), and a secreta.lJ· operating as tlie .Aerial . Phenomena. Secti on of'. the Electronics Branch, Technic_al A:Qalysis Division. In s:pite of thls 11.::nited staff, as weLle as several changes or proJect • officer, the project records appear to be up-to-date. ATIC personnel no longer conduct field investigations of UFOB sightings (these are requested from USAF intelligence officers C9priroarily Air Defense Command and Airways and Air Communications ServiciJ nearer to the a j ghtings), but confine their activl tiea .to receiving and checking reports as received; requesting a.ddi~ional field investigation where necessary, pe.rfcnning necessary checkine against meteorological, ast~omical, aircraf t, and b.alloon data, and record.lug their findings and honclusions in a cross-referenced system by date, location, source, tJ~e ·or observa.tioo and conclusion drawn. The Aerial Phenomena Section also deals directly ~1th the Public Information Office of Hq., USAF, re~ing 1nfo:rma.tion for public release. For about the past year, apprcxbiately ten percent of the reported s.i.gb.tlngs have been tagged us unsolved. •.. Of pa.:r.ticular interest is the fact that ATIC is i n the process oi' transterring pr9Ject Bluebook ~6 Hq., Air Defense Command . AccordJng to Lt. Col. Harry Johnsto~, Chief, Electronics Branch, the reason for the transl'er was that l\DC bad been doing most of the s .
Metadata
- Agency
- —
- Classification
- UNCLASSIFIED
- Department
- CIA
- Catalog source
- View NARA catalog record