GovernmentMay 2006London, England

UK Project Condign report released

Name: UK Project Condign report released
Start: 2006-05
Location: London, England

The Ministry of Defence Main Building in London; the MoD released the Condign study in 2006 ArildV, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

After a Freedom of Information request, Britain's Ministry of Defence released Project Condign, a Defence Intelligence Staff study of UFO reports completed in December 2000. It said sightings could be explained by natural causes such as meteors and unusual atmospheric conditions.

Evidence

Significance

Sources

OfficialProject Condign - The Full Condign Report (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defence Region) (opens in a new tab)UK Ministry of Defence (copy hosted by The Black Vault) / 2000-12
PressBritish military zaps UFO theories (opens in a new tab)Al Jazeera / 2006-05-08
OtherResearch Guide - Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), written by David Clarke for The National Archives (opens in a new tab)David Clarke for The National Archives (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) / 2019

How sources are chosen and tiered

14 May 2008Government

UK begins releasing MoD UFO files

The UK Ministry of Defence began releasing its UFO files through The National Archives website, starting with sighting reports and MoD assessments dating back to the 1970s. The program ran until a tenth and final release in June 2013.

Evidence

Significance

Sep 2008Government

DIA awards the AAWSAP contract

The Defense Intelligence Agency contracted Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies of Las Vegas for the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program, officially a study of future aerospace threats. It produced dozens of technical papers; funding of about $22 million ended in 2012.

Evidence

Significance

24 Jun 2009Government

Senator Reid asks for restricted special access status for AAWSAP

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wrote to Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn asking for a restricted special access program for parts of the DIA aerospace study he called AATIP, citing sensitive findings. A November 2009 DIA review found no justification for the protection.

Evidence

Significance

Dec 2009Government

UK Ministry of Defence closes its UFO desk

The Ministry of Defence closed its UFO desk, hotline and email address after officials advised that no UFO report in over 50 years had shown a threat to the UK. The MoD stopped investigating sightings; files on the closure were released in 2013.

Evidence

Significance