Document · 17 August 2009
The National Archives (UK): UFO files release, highlights guide (August 2009)
Also known as TNA UFO files August 2009, DEFE 24 highlights guide
The National Archives' guide to the batch of Ministry of Defence UFO files (DEFE 24) it opened in August 2009, with the key stories bookmarked by the historian David Clarke. It is a finding aid, not the files themselves: it gives the file and page references where the official papers on each case can be read.
For the Belgian wave it points to two official records held in British files: the Belgian Air Force's statement sent to the MoD in November 1993, and General Wilfried De Brouwer's four-page account of the March 1990 F-16 intercepts, which confirms radar lock-ons the pilots could not explain.
Source: The National Archives (UK), August 2009
Facts and claims
- documented The guide to the Ministry of Defence UFO files opened in August 2009 says the files show how in March 1990 the Belgian Air Force scrambled F-16 fighters to intercept UFOs reported by police officers and others, and that “an official statement from the Belgian Air Force sent to the MoD in November 1993 is at DEFE 24/1970 p86-87.” Source: doc-tna-ufo-files-aug-2009.pdf
- documented It lists “a four-page account of the UFOs detected by NATO radars and F-16 fighters over Belgium in 1990, which remain unexplained” (DEFE 24/1960, pp. 320–324): “The account, from 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.” Source: doc-tna-ufo-files-aug-2009.pdf
- documented A letter from Malcolm Rifkind to Lord Hill-Norton explains that the MoD was not informed of the Belgian incident at the time and concluded there was no threat to the UK (DEFE 24/1970, pp. 58–59). Source: doc-tna-ufo-files-aug-2009.pdf
- documented File DEFE 24/1948 covers the Rendlesham Forest incident and opens with Lt. Col. Charles Halt's memo to the MoD (p. 6); DEFE 24/1970 holds the MoD's final position statement on Rendlesham in a briefing for a House of Lords defence debate (pp. 10–11). Source: doc-tna-ufo-files-aug-2009.pdf
Connected files
Organizations
- The National Archives (UK) (published by)
Incidents
- Belgian UFO wave (about) — Points to the Belgian Air Force's official statement to the MoD (DEFE 24/1970) and De Brouwer's account of the F-16 radar lock-ons (DEFE 24/1960)
- Rendlesham Forest incident (about) — File DEFE 24/1948 covers Rendlesham and opens with Halt's memo
Mentioned in this file
- National Archives and Records Administration (Organization)
- The National Archives: guides to the Ministry of Defence UFO files (2008–2013) (Document)
- David Clarke (Person)
- Wilfried De Brouwer (Person)
- Ministry of Defence (UK) (Organization)
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