DOW-UAP-D160, Air Intelligence Information Report, Morocco, 1953

Official Conclusion

Logical deduction is that one of the mundane possibilities (anomalous propagation, ship-borne radar jamming, or geese/storks) caused the radar return.

Official Description

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (AIIR), a standardized U.S. Air Force reporting form used to record raw information of potential intelligence value for later analysis. The form served as a primary vehicle for U.S. Air Force field intelligence collection throughout the early Cold War, until defense-wide reporting standards were established in the early 1960s. This AIIR records a December 16, 1953, incident in northern French Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea area in which personnel of Detachment 2, 737th AC&W Squadron reported an unidentified radar return. The report states that the return varied in shape between “V,” “W,” and “M” configurations and faded after several minutes of observation. It further states that electronics personnel in the 316th Air Division believed the return might have been caused by anomalous propagation, ship-borne radar jamming, or geese or storks in flight, and concludes that one of those possibilities was the most likely explanation for the return. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics. AARO Comment: The 737th AC&W Squadron was a U.S. Air Force radar unit stationed in Saidia, Morocco, where it supported airborne early warning and air defense surveillance in coordination with French military forces.

Key Findings

• →TPS-1D radar at Detachment 2, 737th AC&W Squadron displayed returns that changed shape among V, W, and M forms and varied in number from one to twelve per sweep.
• →Returns lay in a straight line on azimuth 25 degrees at 20-40 miles range, were comparatively stationary, and faded out after several minutes.
• →The height finder was out, so no elevation data was available; no optical observation or photography occurred.
• →Weather was overcast (9/10 cloud, 8000 ft ceiling, 5 miles visibility) with no thunderstorms and no other unusual conditions noted.
• →Radar maintenance personnel offered no cause, but division electronics personnel suggested anomalous propagation, ship-borne radar jamming, or geese/storks in flight.

Extracted Entities