1 - The Black Vault

Operations & Policy 1
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Room 6173, Metropole Building, Northumberland Avenue, London,
WC2N5BP
Telephone (Direct dial) 020 7218 2140
(Sw~chboard) 020 7218 9000
(Fax)
(GTN)
Your Reference
Our Reference
D/DAS/64/3
Date
20 September 200 I
Thank you for your letter dated 21 August concerning access to information on 'unidentified
flying objects'. I will answer your questions in the same order as your letter.
You asked for policy on the recording, analysis and public disclosure of information on the
following;
Reports of 'unidentified flying objects'.
The Ministry of Defence examines any reports of 'unidentified flying objects' it receives solely to
establish whether what was seen might have some defence significance; namely, whether there is
any evidence that the United Kingdom's airspace might have been compromised by hostile or
unauthorised air activity. Unless there is evidence of a potential threat to the United Kingdom
from an external military source, and to date no 'UFO' report has revealed such evidence, we do
not attempt to identify the precise nature of each reported sighting. We believe it is possible that
rational explanations, such as aircraft lights or natural phenomena, could be found for them, but it
is not the function of the MOD to provide this kind of aerial identification service. We could not
justify expenditure of public funds on investigations which go beyond our specific defence remit.
With regard to access to information on 'UFO' sighting reports, you may wish to be aware that
MOD files are subject to the provisions of the Public Records Act of 1958 and 1967 and generally
remain closed from public viewing for 30 years after the last action on the file has been taken. It
was generally the case that before 1967 all MOD 'UFO' files were destroyed after five years as
there was insufficient public interest in the subject to merit their permanent retention. However,
files have routinely been preserved since 1967 and released at their 30 year point to the Public
Record Office. Any from the 1950s and early 1960s that survived have also been released. Files
from 1971 onwards will be made available annually as they reach their individual30-year
maturity point.
With regard to the release of information from the closed files, the Ministry of Defence operates
in accordance with the existing Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (the
Code), which encourages the provision of information unless its disclosure would, for example,