As I write this hub, the latest batch of UFO documents have been released in the UK through the National Archives website (http://ufos.nationalarchives.gov.uk/). The documents are free to download for a limited time, after which they are available to download for a small fee.

So, what exactly are UFOs?  Unidentified Flying Objects are most commonly associated with alien visits and flying saucers.  Officially though, the term UFO actually refers to anything that a person sees in the sky that they can’t recognise or explain. Many UFO sightings turn out to have perfectly reasonable explanations; such as weather balloons, planes seen from strange angles, meteors and satellites.

There are regular sightings of UFOs across the UK although it’s worth noting that very few of those reported to the authorities are ever actually investigated.  The reason is that British Government doesn’t acknowledge the possible existence of extra-terrestrials, therefore the only reason a UFO sighting would be investigated is if there is reason to believe that there is a threat to British airspace.

The National Archives release files to the public every few months, but the reports you can download from the National Archives website are often several decades old.  However, it is actually possible to request ANY official documents thanks to the Freedom of Information Act.

In addition to these documents, the Freedom of Information Act also allows you to request any other UFO documents by sending a request directly to whichever organisation holds the information.  Most UFO-related documents are held with the Ministry of Defence, so that’s a good place to start.  The MOD offers a helpful page on how to make a FOI request at http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FreedomOfInformation/FOIContact/.  They must deal with your request within 20 days.  Make sure you are exact about the incident you are requesting information on in your letter.  If your request is too general, they can refuse to process it.  There are sometimes small charges to cover the cost of processing your request, e.g. postage charges, but you will be notified of these in advance.

Some information is exempt from the act, so don’t expect to receive everything.  Certain personal data is not released under the Data Protection Act, e.g. names, addresses of witnesses.  What you CAN expect is to read fascinating reports of “missile shaped objects with green neon flames” being observed by pilots and air traffic control in Belfast, “strange lights” that move “from side to side” above a clear sky in Sheffield and “disc shaped” objects with multiple witnesses in Essex.  Make of these what you will!

Keep in mind that the British Government has never confirmed any acceptance of the possibility of extra-terrestrial activity.  UFO sightings that cannot be explained are still labelled as “unidentified”, rather than “extra-terrestrial”.  But that’s not to say you can’t make your own mind up – so get digging and see what you can uncover in the Government’s official documents!

Of course, the paranoid conspiracy theorists amongst us will tell you that these documents are all part of a larger cover-up.  Who do you believe?  The choice is yours!

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