What Governments Have Said About UFOs

For decades, the official stance of world governments on Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), now more formally termed Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), has been a complex tapestry woven with threads of denial, cautious investigation, and, more recently, surprising transparency. As unexplained encounters continue to capture public and military attention, the narrative from officialdom is slowly, but profoundly, shifting. This is a journey into what governments have actually said, revealing a global story of enduring mystery and the reluctant official engagement with the unknown.

The “flying saucer” era, igniting in the mid-20th century, didn’t just spark public fascination; it also triggered hushed conversations and formal investigations within the corridors of power. While often downplayed or attributed to conventional explanations, the sheer persistence of credible sightings, particularly from military personnel, has compelled governments worldwide to address the phenomenon, however guardedly.

The journey of official pronouncements on UFOs/UAPs is not a monolithic one. It varies significantly by nation and era, reflecting geopolitical climates, technological advancements, and shifting public pressures. Yet, common themes emerge: a primary concern for national security and airspace integrity, a tendency towards prosaic explanations, and an underlying, often unstated, acknowledgment that some phenomena defy easy categorization.

The United States: From Blue Book to a New Era of UAP Analysis

The U.S. government’s engagement with UFOs has been perhaps the most prominent and scrutinized.

• Early Investigations (Project Sign, Grudge, Blue Book): Beginning in the late 1940s, the U.S. Air Force launched a series of studies – Project Sign (1947), Project Grudge (1949), and the longest-running, Project Blue Book (1952-1969). Project Blue Book investigated over 12,000 sightings. Its official conclusion in 1969, following the Condon Committee report, was that there was no evidence of UFOs posing a threat to national security, no indication of technology beyond known science, and no proof of extraterrestrial vehicles. However, a significant number of cases (701) remained “unidentified.” This official closure did little to quell public speculation, with many believing a cover-up was in effect.
• The Shift Towards Renewed Interest (AATIP, UAPTF, AARO): Decades of relative official silence were broken in 2017 with the revelation of the Pentagon’s secretive Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which investigated UAPs from 2007 to 2012. This was followed by the establishment of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) in 2020 and, subsequently, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022. These modern initiatives, spurred by congressional interest and persistent reports from military aviators of encounters with objects exhibiting unusual flight characteristics, signaled a significant shift. Official reports released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and AARO have acknowledged that many UAP encounters remain unexplained. While these reports typically state they have found “no verifiable evidence” of extraterrestrial origins or off-world technology, they also highlight the potential risks UAPs pose to flight safety and, significantly, to national security. Recent AARO reports have indicated that some UAP sightings could be advanced drone technology or other terrestrial systems, but many remain uncharacterizable due to data limitations. Congressional hearings have further amplified the discussion, with lawmakers pressing for greater transparency and a more coordinated governmental effort to understand these phenomena. NASA has also initiated its own UAP study team, emphasizing the need for more robust scientific data.

The United Kingdom: Classified Files and Measured Conclusions

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) also has a long history of investigating UFO reports, with many files declassified and released by The National Archives.

• Project Condign: Perhaps the most notable UK study was the secret “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) in the UK Air Defence Region,” codenamed Project Condign, conducted between 1996 and 2000. Its final report, released to the public in 2006, concluded that UAPs were an “indisputable” presence but found “no evidence that they are hostile or under any type of control, other than that of natural physical forces.” The report suggested that most sightings could be attributed to misidentification of known objects or phenomena. However, it also intriguingly proposed that some “novel military applications” might arise from the study of certain UAP characteristics, and that some unexplained sightings could be attributable to rare atmospheric plasma phenomena. The MoD officially ceased its UFO investigations in 2009, stating that in over 50 years, no report had ever revealed any evidence of a potential threat to the UK.

France: A Long-Standing Official Interest (GEIPAN)

France stands out for its sustained and transparent approach to UFO/UAP investigation through a dedicated government body operating within its national space agency, CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales).

• GEPAN/SEPRA/GEIPAN: Established in 1977 as GEPAN (Groupe d’Études des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés), it later became SEPRA (Service d’Expertise des Phénomènes de Rentrée Atmosphérique) in 1988, and then GEIPAN (Groupe d’Études et d’Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés) in 2005. GEIPAN collects and analyzes UAP reports from various sources, including law enforcement and pilots, and makes its findings publicly available on its website. Its methodology categorizes cases:
  • Type A: Phenomenon clearly identified.
  • Type B: Phenomenon probably identified.
  • Type C: Phenomenon unidentified due to lack of data.
  • Type D: Phenomenon unidentified despite good or very good data (these are the most intriguing cases, representing a small percentage of the total). GEIPAN’s mission is primarily scientific and informational, aiming to understand the phenomena rather than explicitly searching for extraterrestrial life. Their consistent, data-driven approach is respected internationally.

Canada: Historical Investigations and Documented Sightings

Canada also has a documented history of official UFO investigations, though often less publicized than those of the US.

• Project Magnet & Project Second Storey: In the early 1950s, Transport Canada initiated Project Magnet, headed by radio engineer Wilbert Smith. Smith was famously quoted as saying the subject was “the most highly classified subject in the United States Government, rating higher even than the H-bomb.” He believed UFOs were likely extraterrestrial and possibly operated by manipulating magnetism. A parallel, more secretive committee called Project Second Storey also existed. While these formal projects were relatively short-lived, Canadian government departments, including the Department of National Defence and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), continued to log and sometimes investigate UFO reports for many years. Many of these records are now available through Library and Archives Canada.

South America: Notable Military Encounters and Official Bodies

Several South American nations have also taken the UFO/UAP issue seriously, often driven by military encounters.

• Brazil (Operation Saucer): In 1977-1978, the Brazilian Air Force conducted “Operação Prato” (Operation Saucer) to investigate a wave of UFO sightings and alleged attacks on locals in the Amazonian region of Colares. The official investigation produced photographs, film footage, and detailed reports. While officially closed with no definitive extraordinary conclusions, the operational commander, Captain Uyrangê Hollanda, later gave compelling interviews about the unexplained nature of the phenomena encountered. Many documents from Operation Saucer have since been declassified.
• Chile (CEFAA): Chile maintained an official body, the CEFAA (Committee for the Studies of Anomalous Aerial Phenomena), within its civil aviation agency (DGAC) from 1997 until its quiet disbandment around 2021-2022. CEFAA investigated UAP reports, involving military and civilian aviation experts, and released some intriguing footage and analyses, including a notable 2014 case involving a Navy helicopter.

Other Nations: Glimpses into Global Governmental Stances

While less extensively documented in easily accessible public records, other governments have also shown varying degrees of interest:

• Belgium: The Belgian Air Force notably investigated a wave of sightings of triangular UFOs between 1989 and 1991, even scrambling fighter jets in attempts to intercept them. They cooperated with civilian UFO groups and released detailed reports, admitting the phenomena were beyond their understanding at the time.
• Uruguay: Uruguay has had an official UFO investigating body, CRIDOVNI (Comisión Receptora e Investigadora de Denuncias de Objetos Voladores No Identificados), within its Air Force for several decades.

Common Themes and Evolving Narratives: What Can We Glean?

Across these diverse governmental responses, several patterns emerge:

1. National Security as Prime Motivator: The primary driver for official investigation has consistently been national security – understanding potential threats to airspace, military assets, or technological capabilities.
2. Prevalence of Conventional Explanations: Most official reports conclude that the vast majority of sightings can be attributed to misidentification of known objects (aircraft, balloons, satellites, astronomical phenomena) or natural occurrences.
3. The Persistent Unexplained Residue: Despite efforts to explain all sightings, a small but significant percentage of cases consistently remains “unidentified” or “unexplained,” even after rigorous investigation.
4. Reluctance to Confirm Extraterrestrial Origins: No major government has officially confirmed that UAPs are extraterrestrial spacecraft. Statements generally focus on the unknown nature of the objects and the data limitations.
5. The Impact of Military Pilot Sightings: Reports from trained military observers, particularly pilots, often carry more weight and have been instrumental in triggering renewed official interest, as seen recently in the US.
6. A Slow Shift Towards Transparency: Driven by public pressure, freedom of information laws, and a recognition that the stigma surrounding UAP reporting can be detrimental, there is a discernible, albeit cautious, trend towards greater openness.

The Era of New Transparency? Challenges and Future Directions

The recent developments, particularly in the United States, suggest a potential new era of UAP transparency. The establishment of AARO and NASA’s study group, along with public congressional hearings, mark a departure from decades of near-total official silence or dismissal.

However, challenges remain. Data collection is often sporadic and lacks standardization. The stigma, though lessening, can still deter witnesses from coming forward. And the line between genuine national security concerns that necessitate secrecy and the public’s right to know is often contentious.

What governments have said about UFOs/UAPs is a story still unfolding. While definitive answers about the ultimate nature of these phenomena remain elusive within official pronouncements, the conversation itself has evolved dramatically. The acknowledgment that some objects in our skies are unidentified, and are being taken seriously at the highest levels, is in itself a profound shift. It speaks to an enduring human quest to understand our world and our place within a potentially much larger, and stranger, cosmos. The continued, more open investigation by governments worldwide offers the promise, however distant, of shedding more light on this captivating enigma.