Interpreting the MUFON Stephenville UFO radar report: What does it say?

By Steve Hammons

What are some of the key points in the report released Thursday, July 10, 2008, that was prepared by Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) investigators?

The “special research report” is titled “Stephenville Lights: A Comprehensive Radar and Witness Report Study Regarding the Events of January 8, 2008, 4 pm to 8 pm.”

The report’s authors, Glen Schulze and Robert Powell, are identified as highly-trained experts in technical and scientific fields relevant to this investigation. Schulze in particular is reported to have an extensive background in radar systems.

Although the report itself includes many sections of a highly technical nature, much of the language in it is plain-spoken.

POINTS TO CONSIDER

According to Schulze and Powell, the following elements emerged in their investigation:

1) Several radar facilities in the region surrounding the Stephenville, Dublin and Selden region provide radar coverage for that area. Some of this data was provided to the investigators.

2) Military commands in the area did provide some helpful information, but other information did not seem to be forthcoming in response to Freedom of Information Act requests by the investigators.

3) Several military aircraft were in the skies the evening of Jan. 8, 2008, and were conducting flights in the nearby military operating area (MOA). Some of these military aircraft had transponders turned on and some had transponders turned off. Some military flights veered into civilian airspace over the Stephenville region. There is no immediate explanation for this.

4) The investigators suspect that an Airborne Warning and Command System (AWACS) aircraft was circling the area, based on radar data.

5) A very large unidentified craft or object was detected by radar. According to the report, “This object had no transponder and was tracked on radar for over an hour. Most of the time, the object was either stationary, or moving at speeds of less than 60 mph. At 7:32 pm, the object was tracked accelerating to 532 mph in 30 seconds and then slowing to 49 mph only 10 seconds later.”

6) The location and direction of flight of this object correlated with the reports from reliable eyewitnesses on the ground.

7) In the report summary, the authors state, “As to what these witnesses saw, it is difficult to determine. It was not any known aircraft. The enormous size of the object, its complete silence, and its ability to travel at high rates of speed and to also remain stationary or travel at slow speeds, is not explained by any known aircraft.”

8) The object or craft proceeded in a direction toward the Bush ranch at Crawford for over one hour and eventually was detected as being 10 miles away from the ranch. According to the report, “There was no indication that any of the military jets reacted to the unknown aircraft that was without a required transponder …” (However, see point number 9.)

9) Witnesses on the ground did report that military jets were apparently in pursuit or accompanying an unusual object. The report’s authors point out that, “These jets do not show up on radar. If their altitude was under 2000 feet, as described by the witnesses, then they would have been too low to be detected by the nearest FAA radar.”

NATURAL QUESTIONS

There are many other important points in the MUFON report by Schulze and Powell. If we read these details and also read between the lines, we might come up with the same kinds of questions that the witnesses in the Stephenville area have about the UFOs they saw.

Some of these questions might include the following:

1) Was the object seen by multiple highly reliable witnesses, including several experienced law enforcement officers, a secret advanced or experimental U.S. craft or device?

2) If so, why would it be operating over a populated area where it could be easily observed?

3) Is it an unknown or truly unidentified object that has not previously been seen or encountered by U.S. defense and intelligence personnel?

4) Is it a known flying object or craft that is familiar to U.S. defense and intelligence personnel?

5) If so, what is its point of origin?

6) If so, is the object or craft dangerous or was it trespassing in a manner that was unacceptable?

7) Was the object or craft believed to be friendly, hostile, neutral or is this unknown?

It is natural for intelligent Americans to wonder about these kinds of questions. Although we realize that there are sensitive matters that cannot be released to the general public (and our adversaries around the world), it could be helpful for American citizens to understand more about these kinds of puzzling situations.

In fact, people around the world have had similar strange encounters and the governments, researchers, media and the public in other countries also wrestle with these kinds of situations.

According to some sources, there is an ongoing process of acclimation to prepare Americans and people internationally for more information about these kinds of scenarios.

Keeping our feet on the ground, with strong hearts and calm minds, we can continue to learn more about the Stephenville UFO incidents and possibly even more useful information.