On January 28, 1985, the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby received an informal inquiry from Papua New Guinea's National Intelligence Organization about reported sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft over the country on the evening of January 24. The sightings had caused enough public concern that Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister attended a provincial meeting to address the matter. The embassy told Papua New Guinea's intelligence officials that the U.S. had no B-52 overflights or aircraft in Papua New Guinea airspace on that date, and asked for confirmation and additional details about the reports.
What did people report seeing?
Witnesses reported various unidentified aerial phenomena on January 24, including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails (vapor trails), and noise. An Air Niugini pilot who had just taken off from Wewak reported that his radar picked up aircraft flying south to north at high altitude and high speed. Visual sightings of contrails were also reported from various points around Papua New Guinea, including one aircraft moving north to south at 1900 local time and six to eight aircraft traveling south to north at 2200 local time.
Why did this matter to Papua New Guinea's government?
Local residents in Wewak were frightened by the overflights, which prompted the provincial premier to call a public meeting on the subject. The matter was significant enough that Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, who was in his electoral district at the time, attended the meeting to address public concerns.
What did the U.S. Embassy say?
Based on its records and a phone conversation with the 43rd Strategic Wing at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, the embassy told Papua New Guinea's National Intelligence Organization that the U.S. knew of no B-52 overflights and no U.S. aircraft in Papua New Guinea airspace on January 24. The embassy requested confirmation of this statement and asked for any additional information that might explain the reports.
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UNCLASSIFIED
CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/20 26
UNCLASSIFIED
MRN: 85 PORT MORESBY 199
Date/DTG: Jan 28, 1985 / 280000Z Jan 85
From: AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY
Action: USCINCLANT ROUTINE
E.0.: Unknown
TAGS: MARR, PP
Reference: n/a
Subject: PAPUA NEW GUINEA INQUIRY RE OVERFLIGHTS
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 01 PORT M 00199 280704Z
ACTION PM-11
INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 INR-10 SS-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00
NSAE-00 EAP-00 /022 W
------------------026406 280708Z /12
0 280653Z JAN 85
FM AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY
TO USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
INFO 43SW ANDERSON AFB GU IMMEDIATE
SECSTATE WASHDC 1694
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSYJAKARTA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PORT MORESBY 00199
USCINCPAC FOR J3 AND POLAD
43 SW FOR DONO
STATE FOR EAP/PIA AND PM/RSA
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: MARR, PP
SUBJECT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA INQUIRY RE OVERFLIGHTS
1. EMBASSY JANUARY 28 RECEIVED INFORMAL INQUIRY FROM
PNG NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (NIO) CONCERNING
REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF HIGH-ALTITUDE, HIGH-SPEED AIRCRAFT
OVER PNG DURING EVENING JANUARY 24. MATTER CAME TO
NIO'S ATTENTION WHEN ITS OFFICER IN WEWAK REPORTED LOCAL
RESIDENTS HAD BEEN FRIGHTENED BY OVERFLIGHTS, WHICH LED
TO THE PROVINCIAL PREMIER'S CALLING OF A PUBLIC MEETING
ON THE SUBJECT ATTENDED BY THE PRIME MINISTER WHO WAS
WEEKENDING IN HIS ELECTORAL DISTRICT.
Released in Full
IJohn Powers, Acting-Director
US Department of State
12/25/2026
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CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026
2. NIO SAID THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS REPORTS OF
UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 24,
INCLUDING FAST-MOVING OBJECTS WITH LIGHTS, CONTRAILS,
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PAGE 02 PORT M 00199 2807042
AND NOISE. THE REPORT IN WHICH NIO PLACES SOME CREDENCE
ORIGINATED WITH AN AIR NIUGINI PILOT WHO HAD JUST TAKEN
OFF FROM WEWAK ENROUTE PORT MORESBY. PILOT SAID HIS
RADAR PICKED UP AIRCRAFT FLYING SOUT H TO NORTH AT HIGH
ALTITUDE AND HIGH SPEED WHEN HE WAS OVER ANGORAM (VIC 4
DEG S, 144 DEG E). SEVERAL VISUAL SIGHTINGS OF
CONTRAILS WERE ALSO REPORTED FROM VARIOUS POINTS AROUND
PNG, OF ONE AIRCRAFT MOVING NORTH TO SOUTH AT 1900 LOCAL
AND OF SIX-EIGHT AIRCRAFT TRAVELING SOUTH TO NORTH AT
2200 LOCAL.
3. BASED ON OUR RECORDS AND TELCON WITH 43SW, WE HAVE
TOLD NIO WE KNEW OF NO B-52 OVERFLIGHTS AND NO U.S.
AIRCRAFT IN PNG AIRSPACE ON JANUARY 24.
4. ALTHOUGH INFORMATION PROVIDED US ON THESE SIGHTINGS
IS VERY SKETCHY AND SOURCES WERE UNSURE OF THE
DIRECTIONS IN WHICH AIRCRAFT WERE FLYING, WE WOULD MOST
APPRECIATE CONFIRMATION OF PARA 3 ABOVE AND ANY LIGHT
YOU MIGHT THROW ON THESE REPORTS.
GARDNER
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
NNN
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UNCLASSIFIED Page 3 of 3 View the official fileFrequently Asked Questions
What sightings did Papua New Guinea report to the U.S. Embassy?
Papua New Guinea's National Intelligence Organization reported various unidentified aerial phenomena on January 24, 1985, including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails, and noise. An Air Niugini pilot reported radar contact with aircraft flying south to north at high altitude and high speed. Visual sightings of contrails were also reported from various points around Papua New Guinea, with one aircraft moving north to south at 1900 local time and six to eight aircraft traveling south to north at 2200 local time.
Did the U.S. confirm it had aircraft in Papua New Guinea airspace on January 24?
No. The U.S. Embassy told Papua New Guinea's National Intelligence Organization that based on its records and a phone conversation with the 43rd Strategic Wing, the U.S. knew of no B-52 overflights and no U.S. aircraft in Papua New Guinea airspace on January 24.
BASED ON OUR RECORDS AND TELCON WITH 43SW, WE HAVE TOLD NIO WE KNEW OF NO B-52 OVERFLIGHTS AND NO U.S. AIRCRAFT IN PNG AIRSPACE ON JANUARY 24.
Why did Papua New Guinea's government take the sightings seriously?
Local residents in Wewak were frightened by the overflights, which led the provincial premier to call a public meeting on the subject. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, who was weekending in his electoral district, attended the meeting to address public concerns.
MATTER CAME TO NIO'S ATTENTION WHEN ITS OFFICER IN WEWAK REPORTED LOCAL RESIDENTS HAD BEEN FRIGHTENED BY OVERFLIGHTS, WHICH LED TO THE PROVINCIAL PREMIER'S CALLING OF A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE SUBJECT ATTENDED BY THE PRIME MINISTER WHO WAS WEEKENDING IN HIS ELECTORAL DISTRICT.
Congressional Context
Where this record connects to the congressional record and the people in it.
- Referenced in LegislationNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationJames M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2022Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
- Referenced in LegislationIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022Connected through Unidentified Aerial Phenomena