DOW-UAP-D093, Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States, 1948
WAR.gov / Department of War PURSUE Release 04
This file contains a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Intelligence Division study, “Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States,” Study No. 203, dated 12/10/1948.
Document Highlights
Note: Highlights are derived from OCR-recognized document passages and file metadata. Please verify important claims against the original scan.
Short overview
This U.S. Air Force Air Intelligence Division study, dated December 10, 1948, assesses reported flying-object incidents and theories about their nature and origin. It includes contemporary reports and examples of experimental flying-wing aircraft forms.
Why this is interesting
The study’s wording is notably cautious: it accepts that an object was seen while stating that identification was not readily possible. It considered domestic or foreign technology and discussed the possibility that some reports could relate to Soviet scientific, military, or intelligence activity.
Selected passages
- “it appears that some object has been seen”
- “the identification of that object cannot be readily accomplished”
- “two ‘reasonable’ origins”
- “flying wing” type aircraft planforms
Background
This file contains a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Intelligence Division study, “Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States,” Study No. 203, dated 12/10/1948. The analysis includes an assessment of various reported unidentified flying object (UFO) incidents and theories to account for their nature and origin. Overall, the study assesses that “it appears that some object has been seen; however, the identification of that object cannot be readily accomplished.” The study offers that two “reasonable” origins might account for the phenomena: technologies of a domestic or foreign origin. It also suggests that, if foreign, it is prudent for the United States to assume that UFO observations are attributable to scientific, military, or intelligence activities of the Soviet Union, and, in that case, to take seriously the threat such objects may pose. The file also contains contemporary UFO reports and examples of experimental “flying wing” type aircraft planforms that might account for certain commonly reported UFO characteristics. AARO Comment: This file appears to be an earlier draft version of the file contained in DOW-UAP-D094, whose content is substantively similar.