MOD and unidentified aerial traffic

[bogeyman]

I recent filed a FOI act request to the UK Ministry of Defence, and had a response dated 18 July 2013.

"Thank you for your email of 20 June 2013 asking how the MOD responds to unidentified aerial traffic entering UK airspace and detected in UK airspace; the effectiveness of our air defence to unknown quantities and unknown events that may and have occurred, and details of such occurrences between 2000 and 2012. We have now completed a search for the information you requested and I can confirm that the MOD holds some information within the scope of your request. I am treating your correspondence as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

RAF Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft are held at continuous readiness at RAF
Coningsby and RAF Leuchars. QRA aircraft scramble to identify any aircraft approaching or in NATO-monitored airspace or National airspace without prior approval or not having identified themselves and which cannot be identified by any other means i.e. the aircraft is not talking to civilian or military Air Traffic Control, has not filed a flight plan, and is not transmitting a recognisable secondary surveillance radar code.

The following table gives the number of days within each year that QRA launches of fighter aircraft has occurred. Details of launches prior to September 2006 are no longer retained by the department and we have therefore started the table at September 2006 from which point the requested information is held by the department.

Year Number of days QRA launched
2006 2*
2007 19
2008 15
2009 14
2010 14
2011 18
2012 25
Total 107
* Records held from Sep 2006"

Whether these encounters are what would be terms UFOs is subjective but never the less one can assume a response to such detections would provoke a reaction by the MOD

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

That is actually pretty interesting. Interesting in that they didn't respond with a simple denial of any such occurrence. Would also be interesting to see some more information about these quick responses (from the two air bases mentioned), with regards to exact dates, and then cross-reference that with any reported sightings.

Good work.

(PS, i'd very much doubt that there 'are no records' retained prior to 2006. It would be more accurate to say 'no records available' under FOI).

[ghostrider]

notice the ramp up in 2012 ...

[shadowstalker]

I don't think that the MoD ever denied UFO activity, what I recall was that it was stated that there was no real threat to the U.K.

[bogeyman]

This was my request: "Unknown Tracks and or blips or unidentified aerial traffic could be defined as objects that have been detected which do not match any known flight paths or manoeuvres, and remain unknown after investigation or interception. What you are referring to in your letter dated 19 June 2013 are known effects due to radar returns referred to as "clutter".

The definition I have described above pertaining to Unknown Tracks are the records that I seek. Conformation has already been forthcoming from the civilian authorities that unknown tracks are detected periodical, within UK airspace. From a security point of view I am interested in how the MOD responds to unidentified aerial traffic entering UK airspace and detected in UK airspace, and the effectiveness of our air defence to unknown quantities, and unknown events that may and have occurred.


PS: I have been made aware our counter parts in the US, such as NORAD have confirmed that reports of Unknown Tracks do exist, so I can only assume it is the same in the UK."

¤=[Post Update]=¤


That is actually pretty interesting. Interesting in that they didn't respond with a simple denial of any such occurrence. Would also be interesting to see some more information about these quick responses (from the two air bases mentioned), with regards to exact dates, and then cross-reference that with any reported sightings.

Good work.

(PS, i'd very much doubt that there 'are no records' retained prior to 2006. It would be more accurate to say 'no records available' under FOI).

Working on further information for 2012 QRA.