1 - The Black Vault

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~IRSTAF.F4a,
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE,
ROOM8245,
MAIN BUILDING,
WHITEHALL,
LONDON SWlA 2HB.
WELLINGBOROUGH
NORTHANTS
~
11th July, 2001
Dear~
1 would like to thank you for your prompt and helpful reply to my letter of the 15th
June. I hope that I am not trespassing on your kindness by asking some
supplementary questions, which I hope that you will be able to answer under the
terms of the Code of Practice relating to access to government information.
You say that since 1' 1 January 2001, four unidentified aircraft have been detected
entering United Kingdom airspace, but were 'assumed friendly based on behavioural
patterns' My questions are:
l. What is United Kingdom law governing unauthorised incursions into UK
airspace? (Does the UK have an 'air defence identification zone', for example~)
2. Is it standard practice to allow such incursions to go unchallenged, provided that
the aircraft concerned do not engage in hostile acts (including espionage or
military reconnaissance)?
3. Were the four unidentified aircraft mentioned above all of a recognisable type or
manufacture, and if not, how many were not?
I look forward to hearing from you, as and when you are able to reply.
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