Repas Ufologiques - 2012 04 01

Magazine Overview

This issue of 'La Lettre Mensuelle des Repas Ufologiques' from April 2012 details internal organizational issues within the Repas Ufologiques association, including a schism and disputes over website management. It highlights upcoming events featuring prominent ufologists and cryptozoologists, and delves into significant UFO cases and historical analyses.

Personal Correspondence and Association Issues

The personal section, authored by Gérard LEBAT, addresses the recent crisis and split within the Repas Ufologiques association. LEBAT explains his role as the original owner and manager of the 'Les Repas Ufologiques' website since 2003. He recounts how the creation of an association led to complications, particularly after he publicly criticized the French state organization GEIPAN. This led to his removal from communication and site management roles, despite his ownership of the website. He asserts his rights over the website and the 'Les Repas Ufologiques' title, which predates the association's formal creation.

Upcoming Events and Speakers

The magazine announces several key events:

• May 2, 2012: Xavier PASSOT, Head of the GEIPAN program, will present on GEIPAN's missions, case analysis, and observation methods in Paris.
• June 22, 2012: Robert SALAS, a retired US Air Force officer, will speak in Paris about UFOs observed over nuclear sites. This event is co-organized with the ODS and supported by Radio Ici et Maintenant.
• October 2, 2012: Loren COLEMAN, an American cryptozoologist, will be in Paris to discuss his work. This event is organized by the Repas Ufologiques de Paris with the support of Editions de l'Œil du Sphinx (ODS).
• April 2, 2012: Michel PERRIN will present on 'UFOs and Ancient Civilizations' in Lyon.
• April 5, 2012: Thierry GAY will discuss observations from the Hudson Valley in Grenoble.
• April 3, 2012: Nikolaos KOULIS will speak at a Repas Ufologiques Paris event.
• May 5, 2012: Denis ROGER DENOCLA will speak in Brest.

UFOs and Nuclear Installations

A significant portion of the issue focuses on the connection between UFO sightings and nuclear facilities. It reports on statements by seven retired US Air Force officers in 2010 who claimed UFOs had been observed over American nuclear sites. Robert Salas, one of these witnesses, is highlighted as a key speaker who will share his experiences in Paris. The article notes that UFO appearances have increased around Iran's nuclear installations since 2004, with reports of unidentified objects firing colored rays.

Historical Cases and Analysis

• Drachenbrönn Case (August 6, 1998): This case is presented as a 'perfect case' involving a witness on the ground, a gendarmerie report, an air force report, military radar operators, and a radar trace. A security agent in Metz observed a spherical, luminous object with a conical beam. Military radar at Drachenbrönn detected an unexplained track (ME403) for three minutes, coinciding with the visual observation.
• Lieutenant Plantier's Hypothesis (1950s): The issue revisits a 1953 study by Lieutenant Plantier published in 'Forces aériennes françaises' titled 'An hypothesis on the functioning of flying saucers.' Plantier proposed a propulsion system based on 'force fields' allowing silent, high-speed flight and acceleration, even suggesting color changes and a 'fluffy, white, swirling ball' appearance due to ionized air. His work is presented as a rational attempt to understand UFO phenomena, predating modern terminology.
• 40 Years Later: An update from Jean Plantier, now 72, reflects on his earlier work, recalling his initial skepticism and a personal observation of a brilliant disk with inexplicable characteristics (silence, acceleration, luminosity) by himself and two other officers in 1951.

Cryptozoology Focus

Loren Coleman, a renowned cryptozoologist, is introduced as a speaker. His extensive background in researching cryptids like Bigfoot, Mothman, and Yeti is detailed, including his numerous books, media appearances, and academic affiliations. His work often explores the intersection of cryptozoology and unexplained phenomena.

Other Mentions

• The issue mentions the work of Fabrice Bonvin, who has studied the influence of UFO phenomena on nuclear issues.
• A brief mention is made of an event in Lyon with Michel Perrin discussing UFOs and ancient civilizations.
• Thierry Gay is scheduled to present on observations in the Hudson Valley.
• Nikolaos Koulis is also listed as a speaker.
• Jean-Pierre TROADEC is credited with an article on 'Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena: 'Secret Files' of the French Air Force'.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes ufology as a serious field of study, encouraging open inquiry and the sharing of information. It highlights the importance of witness testimony, official reports, and historical analysis. The publication also emphasizes the need for rational investigation into UFO phenomena, contrasting it with superstition or denial. The internal conflicts within the association seem to stem from differing views on management, ownership, and the direction of the ufological community. The recurring theme of UFOs interacting with sensitive sites, particularly nuclear facilities, underscores a perceived threat or significant interest from these phenomena.

This document, likely an issue of a French publication focused on ufology and the unexplained, delves into the historical involvement of the French Air Force with Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), also referred to as 'objets volants non identifiés' (OVNI) or 'phénomènes aérospatiaux non identifiés' (PAN).

French Air Force's Early Involvement with UFOs

The article begins by referencing an early article on UFOs published in the "Forces Aériennes Françaises" magazine, which would later revisit the topic in its March 1968 issue (No. 245) with an article by Georges Marey. Marey, a specialist in military policy, advocated for the creation of an official French commission to study UFOs, proposing cooperation between various military and scientific bodies. This is presented as a precursor to the GEPAN (Group for the Study and Information on Non-Identified Aerospace Phenomena), established within CNES in Toulouse in 1977.

It highlights the case of Lieutenant Plantier, whose work on human evolution and UFOs is mentioned. The magazine also notes that the "Forces Aériennes Françaises" was an official information organ of the French Air Force, operating under the Committee of Aeronautical Studies, which included high-ranking officers. The publication of a technical article on UFOs is interpreted as an implicit endorsement by the Air Force.

The Secret Study Bureau of the Air Force

A significant section details the observation made by Max Maurin, a reserve Air Force captain, on December 30, 1973. Maurin, living in Orange, observed a slow-moving, cigar-shaped luminous object with red hues above Marcoule. He made a similar observation on August 15, 1974. The meteorological services at the Orange-Caritat air base confirmed that the phenomenon could not have been a balloon due to its shape and illumination, and the time of observation.

Maurin's background is explored, revealing his past involvement in the Air Force's UFO investigations. In 1951, he was assigned to the "section des mystérieux objets volants" at the Bourget air base, where he remained until 1954. During this period, numerous reports and photographic documents related to UFOs were received. This coincided with the US Air Force's own UFO research initiatives.

Fighter Jets and Pursuit in the Sky

The article recounts a notable incident from June 15, 1951, involving three Vampire FB5 jets from the Base Aérienne 115 de Caritat in Orange. During a training mission, the pilots observed an unknown object described as circular and stationary, hovering at 1800 meters altitude and 15 km from the base. When the jets approached, the object began to move, tilting and appearing to take an oblong shape. Lieutenant Galibert attempted to close in, but the object rapidly ascended and disappeared. The pursuit, reaching speeds of 500 km/h, was abandoned as the UFO was no longer visible.

This incident is presented as one of the few cases involving military aircraft and a UFO. The report, long classified as Secret Defense, was only officially presented to the GEPAN scientific council in June 1978, after military officials at the Orange-Caritat base initially claimed no knowledge of it in 1977.

Air Force's Stance and Investigations

An interview with an Air Force officer based near Lyon in the 1980s/90s reveals that radar systems frequently detected unidentified echoes, considered anomalies rather than tangible threats. These records were typically kept for a few months before being erased.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gaston Alexis, in a 1976 interview with "Armée d'Aujourd'hui," stated that a scientific bureau was created within the Ministry of Air at the end of World War II to study aerospace and terrestrial phenomena. In 1951, a UFO dossier was opened to understand the nature and location of these apparitions. By 1954, the Secretary of State for Air requested all major commands to transmit UFO testimonies to this bureau, indicating the Air Force's serious attention to the subject since the 1950s.

The military's objective was to determine if UFO observations were relevant to national defense. Investigations aimed to correlate sightings with real aerospace phenomena. By 1976, after analyzing 25 years of reports, the Air Force concluded that UFO manifestations did not constitute aggression, did not affect the Earth's geophysical balance, and were not detected by 99.2% of air defense and weather radar systems. No authentic photos of grounded UFOs existed, and no witnesses reported objects that could attest to their material reality, apart from ground trace evidence.

In essence, the Air Force concluded that UFOs did not pose a danger to the nation or public order, and therefore did not threaten state security or civil peace. This conclusion, implicitly suggested by a Lieutenant-Colonel, indicated that the UFO dossier was of interest to high military echelons.

Declaration of the Minister of Armies

Despite this interest, the Air Force ceased direct involvement in UFO investigations in 1958. This cessation was attributed to the national defense's view that the subject did not represent an enemy aggression. Additionally, the existing dossiers were deemed insufficiently detailed by military standards, and research methods were unclear. This information was later confirmed by Claude Poher in 1978.

UFOs in the Media and Public Perception

The article notes that regional press and national weeklies reported on UFO events. The "repas ufologiques" (ufology dinners) are presented as informal gatherings where enthusiasts discuss UFOs and other unexplained phenomena. These events feature different speakers each month, covering a range of topics from alleged alien abductions to extraterrestrial theories.

International Cases

A report from March 2012 details a mysterious titanium object, weighing 200kg, that crashed in a forest in Siberia, Russia. The object, identified as not belonging to any known satellite, rocket, or spacecraft, was found to be open and empty. Russian and NASA officials are investigating, with initial reports suggesting it was not related to space technology. There's a curious mention of the object being found with a bear that had lived inside it.

Another case involves a UFO filmed in Chile, appearing in seven different videos from the same location and time, captured from various angles. This event is considered a potential case study for revealing the presence of extraterrestrials.

CEFAA and the Chilean Incident

The director of CEFAA (the Chilean government agency investigating strange aerial phenomena) discussed a discovery made on seven film segments. The object's speed, estimated at nearly 6,400 km/h, far exceeded the speed of sound (1224 km/h), and the absence of a sonic boom led CEFAA to rule out conventional aircraft and even insects, classifying the object as a UFO.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The publication consistently highlights the French military's historical interest and involvement in UFO investigations, from early departmental studies to official statements from ministers. It emphasizes the shift from military to civilian oversight (e.g., GEPAN within CNES) and presents various UFO cases, both domestic and international, as evidence of ongoing unexplained phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, acknowledging the unexplained aspects of UFO sightings while also presenting official military conclusions that, by the late 1970s, deemed them not to be a national security threat. The publication also promotes ufological community events and discussions.