Unidentified Aerial Phenomena – scientific analysis: A 2022 Australian Division of Defence Briefing Paper on UAP – #ufo #unusual
Background
On 14 April 2022 I wrote a weblog submit concerning the institution of Australia’s new Defence House Command, and that the preliminary Commander was Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts. This prompted Melbourne researcher Grant Lavac to submit the next Freedom of Data Act (FOIA) request to the Australian Division of Defence (DOD.)
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| Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts |
“I kindly request a duplicate of all emails, despatched to/from | bcc/cc’d Defence House Commander Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts for the interval 25 June 2021 to fifteen April 2022 (inclusive), that include any of the next key phrases: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena; UAP; Unidentified Flying Object; UFO; Unidentified Flying Objects; UFOs;, Unauthorised Plane Motion; UAM; Unauthorised Plane Actions; UAMs; Uncommon Aerial Sighting, Unidentified Phenomena.”
DOD response
The DOD assigned the request as FOIA 459/21/22, after which responded on 7 June 2022, releasing 14 pages of paperwork. These have been:
1. An e mail from [redacted] to Roberts, Catherine, AVM, cc’d [redacted]; dated Friday 11 February 2022, Topic Senate Estimates Briefs. Textual content “As mentioned please discover official Senate Estimates Briefs.” It mentions there are two briefs.
Feedback: On the 27 October 2021, Senate Estimates Committee hearings, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson addressed plenty of questions relating to UAP to then Chief of Air Mel Hupfield. My weblog article dated 28 October 2021 offered a transcript of those discussions. Grant Lavac positioned two written DOD responses to follow-up questions from Senator Whish-Wilson. Copies could also be learn right here and right here. They have been dated 1 February 2022 and 6 December 2021, respectively. Thus this e mail to Air Vice-Marshal Roberts attaching Senate Estimate Briefs must be seen as prepping Roberts for any additional questions on UAP.
2. A web page headed “House Area and Coverage. CAF Transient. Questions on Discover. Estimates QoNs.” There are two broad matters referenced, specifically UAP on the 27 October 2021 Estimates Listening to; and House Coverage at a 1 June 2021 listening to.
3. A doc headed “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. CAF Transient.” There isn’t any indication as to who ready the briefing doc.
The contents listed are – Notes; Key Messages; Strategic Narrative; Speaking Factors; How are UAP reported to Defence?; As an ally, have the USA provided to or requested to collaborate on UAP investigations? With the US calling UAP a possible risk to nationwide safety, ought to Australia be involved too; Timeline of Vital Occasions/Choices; Related Media Protection; Related Media Enquires; Related Ministerial Feedback; Questions on Discover; Estimates QoNs; Different QoNs; Freedom of Data; Contact and Clearance officers.
Notes
Space is clean (not redacted).
Key Messages
“* Defence doesn’t have a coverage governing the reporting or recording of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) by both members of the general public or Defence members
* The Royal Australian Air Drive (RAAF) ceased the dealing with of experiences of UAP in 1996 after figuring out there was no scientific or different compelling purpose to proceed to commit sources to the recording and investigation of UAP
* Defence security of flight incidents, together with these doubtlessly posed by UAP are dealt with by the Defence Aviation Security Authority (DASA), with civilian security of flight incidents the purview of the Civil Aviation Security Authority (CASA).”
Feedback: Level 1 has been the constant response from the DOD to all my enquiries, and people by the media, eg. the ABC. Level 2 is certainly the explanation given by the RAAF for cessation of UAP investigations. All their Base UAP recordsdata have been bundled up, and despatched to the Nationwide Archives of Australia, the place, as we speak, they’re out there for public viewing.
On level 3, I do not suppose I’ve ever seen a press release earlier than, that potential UAP flight security incidents might flip up in DASA data. As far again as 2017, Melbourne researcher Paul Dean referenced DASA’s predecessor, in an article about UAP. In March 2022 Grant Lavac submitted an FOIA request, assigned quantity 443/21/22 by the DOD. He requested for all DASA experiences, between 2017 and 31 March 2022, which referenced UAP or varied different comparable key phrases. There was a “Nil responsive paperwork” reply, from the DOD, dated 2 Could 2022.
Strategic Narrative
“UAP are more likely to be one among three issues:
* natual or different benign phenomena
* anomalies with sensors, or
* (human-made) applied sciences
UAP might be different nations methods, both up to date or superior. Data relating to the gathering and investigation of those methods is the remit of the Intelligence Group and is classed.”
Remark: I do not perceive the assertion “pure or different benign phenomena.” Sure, “pure” however what does “benign phenomena” imply on this context?
Background
“On 25 June 2021, the USA Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence (ODNI) launched a Preliminary Evaluation: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (the Report) to offer an intelligence evaluation of the risk posed by UAP and the progress the US Division of Protection Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Process Drive (UAPTF) has made in understanding this risk.
* The Report doesn’t draw conclusions on what UAP are and most stay unexplained, primarily as a consequence of lack of knowledge
* The Report finds no proof that UAP are extra-terrestrial in origin
* The Report did attain the next conclusions:
** In a restricted variety of incidents, UAP reportedly appeared to exhibit uncommon flight traits. These observations might be the results of sensor errors, spoofing or observer misperception and require further rigorous analyses
** There are in all probability a number of forms of UAP requiring completely different explanations based mostly on the vary of appearances and behaviours described within the out there reporting
** UAP clearly pose a security of flight concern and will pose a problem to U.S. nationwide safety. UAP would additionally characterize a nationwide safety problem if they’re overseas adversary assortment platforms or present proof a possible adversary has developed both a breakthrough or disruptive know-how
** On 23 November 2021, the US Director of Nationwide Intelligence directed the institution of the Airborne Object Identification and Administration Synchronisation Group to coordinate reporting throughout US Division of Defence and different US businesses with the gaol to minimise flight security and nationwide safety considerations
* Defence has no plans to copy an analogous mechanism. DASA and CASA already serve this perform throughout flight issues of safety and equipment exist for considerations relating to nationwide safety
* Traditionally the RAAF was liable for dealing with UAP experiences, nevertheless that ceased in 1996. If civilians want to report UAP they need to contact their native police authorities, or get involved with civil UAP analysis organisations
* The Defence Instruction was cancelled in November 2000 and never changed
* UAP can also be known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) or Uncommon Aerial Sightings (UAS). UAP is the up to date time period for such phenomena.”
Feedback: Lastly, somebody within the DOD, has had to perform a little research on the subject to offer this briefing paper to Air Vice-Marshal Roberts. It is a truthful abstract of the ODNI report and RAAF involvement. Naturally, there isn’t a indepth evaluate of the fabric, which the RAAF collected between 1951 and 1996; by which, areas of the DOD itself mentioned there was sufficient proof to require an indepth examine, by some authorities company, such because the then Division of Provide.
There in all probability is no-one within the DOD who has reviewed their very own UAP associated recordsdata, which at the moment are within the Nationwide Archives of Australia. This does elevate an fascinating query as to how does somebody in DOD is aware of the RAAF curiosity ceased in 1996 and the Standing Instruction was cancelled in 2000, if all their recordsdata are within the NAA? It might seem that some new recording system, eg an digital file has been created to retailer this data. One other subject for an FOIA request?
Speaking factors
“How are UAP reported to Defence?
* Defence doesn’t have a coverage for reporting or recording UAP
* Traditionally, the RAAF was liable for dealing with UAP experiences on behalf of Defence, nevertheless that ceased in 1996 after figuring out there was no scientific or different compelling purpose to proceed to commit useful resource to the recording and investigation of UAP
* Defence security of flight incidents, together with these potentailly posed by UAP are dealt with by the Defence Aviation Security Authority (DASA), with civilian security of flight incidents the purview of the Civil Aviation Security Authority (CASA).
As an ally, have the USA provided to or requested to collaborate on UAP investigations?
* No, the USA nor every other nation or ally have requested or provided to collaborate on UAP reporting or investigation
* Defence has no need to hunt collaboration on this concern.”
Remark: This final part solutions a query I had, as as to if or not, the US had approached Australia to hunt info or provide collaboration on UAP investigations.
With the US calling UAP a possible risk to nationwide safety, ought to Australia be involved too?
* UAP are more likely to be one among three issues, pure or different benign phenomena, anomalies with sensors or (human-made) applied sciences. Data on the human-made applied sciences is classed and the remit of the Intelligence Group
* Countering capabilities spanning the maritime, land, air, cyber and house domains that might threaten our nationwide safety is a core enterprise of the Australian Defence Drive (ADF), any risk to nationwide safety is a priority but in addition a precedence for Defence.”
Remark: Trying on the businesses which make up the Australian Nationwide Intelligence Group, the one most certainly to be concerned in any assortment and evaluation of “human-made applied sciences ” per UAP; is The Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO.) Its position is because the Division of Defence’s all-source intelligence evaluation company on international locations and overseas organisations, navy capabilities, weapon methods, and defence-related applied sciences. So, if, for instance, some UAP are overseas adversary drones, then the DIO would have an interest. It might due to this fact seem cheap to recommend, that if any portion of your complete Division of Defence have been to take an curiosity in UAP, the DIO could be it. I’ve talked about earlier than that I think that some analyst within the DIO has a watching transient on the UAP subject.
“Are UAP a danger to flight security?
* Flight security is a excessive precedence for ADF aviation. Any dangers to flight security are thought of critical, however Defence shouldn’t be conscious of UAP being the reason for an aviation security incident or featured prominently in a security investigation.”
Remark: On the final level re flight security, I doubt that ADF aviation has learn any of the out there NARCAP knowledge, or regarded into incidents such because the near-miss between a passenger plane and an “unknown” object close to Perth on 19 March 2014 as reported to the Australian Transport Security Bureau?
“Are these more likely to be extra-terrestrial in origin?
* There isn’t any proof to recommend that UAP could be extra-terrestrial in origin.”
Timeline of serious occasions/selections
This lists three occasions:
* 25 June 2021 – Launch of ODNI report
*13 November 2000 – DI(G) ADMIN 55-1 outlining ADF coverage cancelled
* 27 August 1996 – DI(G) 55-1 amended.
Related Media Protection:
This lists the next media experiences. 10 Nov 2021 The Solar; 9 Nov 2021 GQ UK; 29 Oct 2021 The Australian; 28 Oct 2021 ABC Information; 25 Oct 2021 Remo Information.
Related media inquiries:
Nil.
Related Ministerial feedback:
Nil.
Questions on discover:
Whish-Wilson 27 October 2021 Senate Estimates.
Different QoN:
Nil.
Freedom of Data:
Nil.
Contact and Clearance Places of work:
Clearing Officer AVM Catherine Roberts.
Session:
Mr Colin McKenna, Assistant Secretary Strategic Capabilities Coverage Growth.
Brig. Warren Gould, Director Normal Techniques and Integration – Military.
Mr Rod Smith, STaR Shot Chief – Resiliant Multi Mission House , Defence Science and Expertise Group.
Remark: A search of the each day summaries of the Australian Senate Price range Estimates 2022-2023, for the Senate Overseas Affairs, Defence and Commerce Laws Committee, for hearings held on 1, 6 and seven April 2022, did not find any point out of UAP. A search of the Hansard transcripts for these three days additionally did not find any point out of, or questions on, UAP. It might due to this fact seem, that the DOD transient was not used, as apparently no parliamentary questions have been requested about UAP.
Remainder of paperwork
4. The remainder of the paperwork launched, cope with the House Coverage transient.
In abstract
The Australian DOD has no real interest in UAP. There are present processes for any considerations re air security or adversarial know-how.
Acknowledgement:
