Australian Dept of Defense Scientific and Intel Aspects of the UFO Problem

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sorting machines.
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The su111me r {if 1952 sa"' & more thaa twenty-fold rise in
the normal r1,1.te of reporhng and inclu~ed I-he two cxtensi ve Jul!·
eigbtings invdviog lia.shington D.C. This marked increase in !'!ightin~:s
bad diverae efl'ect:,.
A cu•npunent. of USAF intcl..1..igence considertJd
th1.t UPO 's W&l'e intcrpl1\11eia!"y spo.cClships \lhich vore about to make
closer ec,utnct,
To prepare the public for this po:isibili ty 1 41
previously cl~ssified reports vere re}Pasei for publication bet~eeo.
AugtJ.st 19~ 2 rnd February 1953.
These reports contradicted the
earlie?' offic io.1 USAF policy of di511li5siog the reporb as mi5­
identification:, etc.
On the other hand, the CIA regarded tho su~mPr
UFO activity as a throat to national security mainly because the
resulting crowdeo communications and defence forcee involvement
lessened. the lfvel of national a.lertmi:ss r:,gains t possible en!'my P.ttaclt.
5.
.\ 3C ienti!'ic p:.ncl chaired 'Dy H.P. Robert:son was '::onvened b1•
the Office of Scientific 1nte11 igence c!' CU. during mid-January 1953
tor the purpose of recot1m11nding future o.ction on the UFO proble11.
Briefings vcr<; n,a.dc both by CIA a.nd USAF.
ATJr:: per:,onnel sho•ti11 t:1e
then c l:i.asified two rnovi e films of UPO 's and the early results of
statistical analysis of J,200 reports.
Because of the vital issues
invol Vl'Jd, th~ pane I f'e J t re:: t ric ted to recon::mend i ne that the
investigetion be contimrnd, but 'Wi Lh increased personnel and equipn:ent.
'l'he USAF responded proa1ptly '>li th a.n instrue tion to comply vi tb these
recommondntiona.
6.
Th~ CIJ. 1 ho-ever, in a report dated 16 February 1953 aho'o,c,d
a preference to publicly abandon the investigo.tion whil:!it intensifying
the collection Clf data.
Hy September 1953 Lhe CIA position had been
la.rgdy achieved with Project BLUE BOOK rcducad from A staff of ten
qualified po:rsonnel operating at a top secret level to a virtually
inactive project involving one airman.
The invc5tigating ~omponPnl
had bel'n tre.nsferred to the 4602nd Air 111 lc.,.ligli'nce Se:rvic e Squadron
vhieh was trained in rapid intelligence procurement and reported to
Air Defence Command and USAF Intellizence '\ia!';hi.ngt.on rel.her than
Bl,IJE DOOK.
Direct accus s be tween the 4602nd AISS and ::.11 USAF uni t.s
vas atnhorized by AFH 200-2 whcrens previously this privilege had
boon gi ve-n to BLUE BOOK.
Al thnugh on1y Llw v.irracrn (first-class)
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remained in Sept.e111ber 1943, BLUE BOOK was later built up to one
officer, one sergeant, one secret-ary, and a pa:rL-t.ime·c:-00!:!ultc:1.nt
: National Archives of Australia
NAA: A 13693, 3092/2/000 _.
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