Project Blue Book Special Report No. 14 (Analysis of Reports of Unidentified Aerial Objects)

Text

This text came with the file. It may have mistakes. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

I
I
with the year 1952. In these charts, 3201 cases have been used.
I
As the study progressed, a constant program was maintained for
the purpose of making comparisons between the current cases received
after I January 1953, and those being used for the report. This was done
I
in order that any change or significant trend which might arise from
current developments could be incorporated in the summary of this report.
I
The 1953 and 1954 cases show a general and expected trend of
increasing percentages in the finally identified categories. They also.show
decreasing percentages in categories where there was insufficient informa­
I
tion and those where the phenomena could not be explained. This trend had
been:. anticipated in the light of improved reporting and investigating pro­
ceduJ;"es.
I
Official reports on hand at the end of 1954 totaled 4834. Of these,
425 were produced in 1953 and 429 in 195'!. These 1953 and 1954 indi­
I
vidual reports (a total of 854), were evaluated on the same basis as were
those received before the end of 1952. The results are as follows:
I
Balloons
- 16%
Aircraft
- 20%
I
Astronomical
- 25%
Other
- 13%
I
Insufficient Info
1 7%
1.
Unknown
-
9%
I
As the study of the current cases progressed, it became increasingly
obvious that if reporting and investigating procedures could be further improved,
the percentages of those cases which contained insufficient information and
I
those remaining unexplained would be greatly reduced. The key to a higher
percentage of solutions appeared to be in rapid "on the spot" investigations
by trained personnel. On the basis of this, a revised program was estab-
I
lished by AF Reg. 200-2 Subject: "Unidentified Flying Objects Reporting"
(Short Title: UFOB) dated 12 August 1954.
I
This new program, which had begun to show marked results before
January 1955, provided primarily that the 4602d Air Intelligence Service'
Squadron (Air Defense Command) would carry out all field investigations.
I
This squadron has sufficient units and is so deployed as to be able to arrive
"on the spot" within a very short time after a report is received. After
treatment by the 4602d AISS, all information is supplied to the Air Technical
I
Intelligence Center for final evaluation. This cooperative program has re­
sulted, since 1 January 1955, in reducing the insufficient information cases
to 7o/o and the unknown cases to 3%, of the totals.
I
The period l January 1955 to 5 May 1955 accounted for 131 unidentified
aerial object reports received. Evaluation percentages of these are as follows:
I
I
viii
I