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Page ID (PID)
MAXW-PBB1-1059
Collection
NARA-Maxwell
Page 1059 of 1537
Roll Description
Maxwell Blue Book 1
Document Code
N/A
MAXW-PBB1-1057
MAXW-PBB1-1058
MAXW-PBB1-1059
MAXW-PBB1-1060
MAXW-PBB1-1061
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Page Text
\ /% H I- S t P A G E I S U N C L A S S I F I E D ,rt ?A, \(Analy''siG of Reports, of Unidentified Aerial Objects) i Reports of unidentified aeria] objects (popularly termed "flying saucers" or "flying discp1 ) have been receivej .by the U.S. Air Force since mid-19^-7 from many t.C diverse sou^ors. Although there was no evidence that the unexplained reports of unidentified objects constituted a threat zo the security ct1 the United States, th-2 Air Force determined that all reports of unidentified aerial objects should be investigated and evaluated to determine if "fly- Ing saucers" repvoGenteJ cechnological devrLrtpments not known to this country. ( In order to discover any pertinent trend or pattern innsrant in the d^un, anh to evaluate or explain any trend or pattern found, appropr.-Mte methods of reducing these data from reports o:1 uniden- tified aerial objects to a form amenable co sci''entic appraisal were employed. In general, the original data upon which this study was based consisted of impressions end interpretations of apparent?.y unexplaina''ole events, and s^ldcm contained reliable rr>easure,T.ents o.f physical attributes. This subjectivity o;? [-ha data presented a major limitation to the drawing of significant copcluoiont, Jut did not invalidate the application of scientific methods of study. The reports received by the U, S. Air Force orr. unidentified aerial objects were reduced to IBM punched-card abstracts of data by meank of logically develops* forms and standardised evaluation procedures. Evaluation of sighting reports, a crucial step in the preparai-ior. of the data for statistical treatment, consisted of ar ?ppraJsaT of the reports and [the subsequent categorization of ti*3 object or objects described in each report. A detailed description of .this phase of the study stresses the careful attempt to maintain complete objectivity and consistency. Analysis of, the refined and evaluated data derived'' ifrom the origlha] reports of sightings consisted of (l) a systematic attempt to ferret out arty distinguishing characteristics inherent in the data of any of their segments, <;2) a concentrated study of-any , trend or pattern*found, and (3) an attempt to determine the proba- bility that any of the UNKNOWNS represent o.Jt>erva''Gidns of techno- logical oevolopments not known to this country. The first step in the|analysis of'' the data revealed the Exis- tence of certain apparent similarities between cases o^. objectE definitely identified and those not identified. Statistical methods of testing when applied indicated a low probability that these apparent similarities were significant. An attempt jto . , determine the probability that any of the UNKNOWNS represented ob- sarvations of technological developments not known to.this cpuntry necessitated'' as thorough re-examination and re-evaluation ofj the cases of objects not originally identified; tij s le to the con- elusion that this probability was very small. r i MORE " \ * ^
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Page 1059 of 1537