CIA-UAP-007: Current Status Of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) Project.

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Approved f or Rel ease 2026


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                                                               17 December 1953
     r,";g1,~0MNDUM TO,   .Assistant Director, 3c:i.entif'ic Intelligence

     FROM             :   Chief, Phys l cs and Electron.ics Division; SI

     SUBJECT          :   Current Status of Unidentified Flying Objects
                            (UFOB) Project.


            l.   In accordarii'.~e with the verbal request ol' Mr. Brent,.. Exec/SI,
     on 30 November, the following resume of the current status or' unidenti­
     fied flying objects activities has been prepared.
          2. P&E Division assumed responsibility for the OSI project on
     unldentified f lying objects as a result oJ: ~,our memorandum of
     27 Ma~ 1953. The project has been con:t'l~ed to rr:aintainiog awareness
     of the nctlvities of other agencies {notabl_y the USAF) in ·the
     unidenti fied f lying objects business and t o !aa.intenance of files.

            3.   Sta.tus ot' Depa.rtrnent of Defense Act ivi ties.
                                                    .          .
                 a. Air Force. The Air Force continues to ,1JS.1.Gtain, but with
     aJ)parently decreasing emphasis, .Lts interest in UFOB's. The present
     interest of th•~ Directorate of Intel ligence, Hq. , USAF, is conf.).ned to
     a curso~ cop.,nlzance of ATIC's project (.iuebook No. 10073). At ATIC
     the project is carri ed by one officer (Capt . Charles A. Hardin), one
     airman (A/lC Max G. Futch), and a secreta.lJ· operating as tlie .Aeri al .
     Phenomena. Secti on of'. the Electronics Branch, Technic_al A:Qalysis Division.
     In s:pite of thls 11.::nited staff, as weLle as several changes or proJect •
     officer, the project records appear to be up-to-date. ATIC personnel
     no longer conduct f ield investigations of UFOB sightings (these are
     requested from USAF intelligence officers C9priroarily Air Defense
     Command and Airways and Air Communications ServiciJ nearer to the
     a j ghtings), but confine their acti vl tiea .to receiving and checking
     reports as received; requesting a.ddi~ional f ield investigation where
     necessary, pe.rfcnning necessary checkine against meteorological,
     ast~omical, aircraf t, and b.a lloon data, and record.lug their findings
     and honclusions in a cross-referenced system by date, location, source,
     tJ~e ·or observa.tioo and conclusion drawn. The Aerial Phenomena Section
     also deals directly ~1th the Public Information Office of Hq., USAF,
     re~ing 1nfo:rma.tion for public release. For about the past year,
     apprcxbiately ten percent of the reported s.i.gb.tlngs have been tagged
     us unsolved. •..

                Of pa.:r.ticular interest is the fact that ATIC is i n the
     process oi' transterring pr9Ject Bluebook ~6 Hq., Air Defense Command .
     Accord Jng to Lt . Col. Harry Johnsto~, Chief , Electron i cs Branch, the
     reason for the transl'er was that l\DC bad been doing most of the


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