Tag: France

French Space Agency Studied 600 UFO Cases Over 64 Years

Article by Gautam Peddada                                            June 23, 2021                                                    (collective-evolution.com)

• While everyone is focused on the American version of the study, which will contain over 120 events, the French sub-agency that investigates UFOs, GEIPAN, has released a report that covers over 600 recorded incidents over a 64-year period, encompassing 56 nations. The paper concentrates on 290 of these incidents that had an impact on flight safety. North America (Canada and USA) had 298 instances, 108 instances were reported in Europe, and 33 instances occurred in French airspace.

• The distribution of the 600 cases by year reveals that 320 instances (53%) occurred between 1946 and 1960, with 275 cases (46%) concentrated between 1950 and 1957. The year with the most instances (83 cases) was 1952, followed by 1954 with 40 cases. The years 1952 in the United States and 1954 in Europe are regarded as the two peak years for UFO sightings.

• There is no discernible seasonal trend. July has the most instances (75) compared to the other months, and April has the fewest cases (29). The remaining 10 months had between 42 and 56 instances, which does not appear to be a substantial difference. Of 562 occurrences, 54% occurred at night and 46% occurred during the day.

• The UFO sightings recorded by military pilots are the most common during a 64-year period at 42%. Commercial pilots reported 39%, while private pilots recorded 18%. But from 1990 to 2010, commercial aircraft instances were the most frequent at 70%, military pilots reported 17%, and private pilots reported 13% of the instances. This is likely related to a shroud of military secrecy about UFOs. Of the instances reported by military aircraft, 75% happened during a 14-year period from 1946 for 1959. 24% of the cases were observed by two or more aircraft in flight, and two-thirds of the 600 cases were seen by two or more witnesses.

• Of the 278 cases where radar was employed, radar positively identified the UFO in 162 cases. In 115 cases, radar did not support an observer’s sighting. In 34 cases, the visual observation of a UFO was verified by both airborne and ground radar. In one case in 1995, the crew of a B-757 noticed a black cigar-shaped wingless object below their aircraft 15–20 miles away. On radar, it looked to be motionless, then surged in a burst of speed for 20 to 30 seconds before coming to a complete halt. It lingered for one and a half minutes before accelerating again in a burst of speed between 1000 and 1400 mph. This was done many times during a four-minute period, after which the target vanished.

• Pilots classify UFOs as either “light points” or “objects” which have a solid appearance. 74% of the UFO ‘objects’ reported were described as having a three-dimensional, solid aspect. The most commonly reported ‘objects’ are round or elliptical with a metallic appearance. But additional forms have been reported including two yellow objects shaped like hamburgers (1980); a giant triangle-shaped object (Chile 1978); an airliner fuselage without any wings or tail, with potholes lighted from inside (France 1985); an elliptical shape, flat below and slightly domed on the upper part (Sahara 1965); a large translucent metallic mushroom (Australia 1954).

• Interaction cases, where the UFO appears to react to the presence of an aircraft, were observed in half of the instances. These cases fall into three categories: (1) UFO conducts maneuvers to approach, chase, or escape from the aircraft; (2) dogfights with military aircraft; and (3) UFO circles or performs maneuvers near to the aircraft and may cause electromagnetic impacts on aviation systems. In 78 occasions, a UFO approached the plane on a collision path, and in 6 cases there was a near-collision with the aircraft. The pilot was required to take evasive action in 31 occasions to avoid colliding with the UFO, including three cases involving commercial aircraft in which passengers were wounded during the move.

• The most troublesome element of UFO contacts were situations in which permanent or transitory electromagnetic impacts occurred on aircraft systems – usually private craft – during flight. In 81 of the 600 cases, electromagnetic interference was seen and reported, and everything from radios to weaponry was impacted.

 

While everyone is focused on the American version of the study, which will contain over 120 events, GEIPAN has released a report that covers over 600 recorded incidents by pilots over a 64-year period. The paper concentrates on 290 of these incidents when the unidentified aerial device had (or may have had) an impact on flight safety.

While the study has received little attention, there are several data points that are essential in establishing or verifying particular aspects of the phenomena. It will be fascinating to see if the DNI’s report to Congress has comparable results, or if they will disclose these findings in the public realm.

1946 to 1960 was a period of the most UFO sightings

1952 & 1954 — The Peak Years

The distribution of the 600 cases by year reveals that 320 instances (53%) occurred over a 16-year period (from 1946 to 1960), with 275 cases (46%) occurring between 1950 and 1957. The year with the most instances (83 cases) was 1952, followed by 1954 with 40 cases. The years 1952 in the United States and 1954 in Europe are regarded as the two peak years for UAP sightings.

There is no discernible seasonal trend in the distribution of these 600 cases per month. July has the most instances (75) compared to the other months, and April has the fewest cases (29). The remaining 10 months had between 42 and 56 instances, which does not appear to be a substantial difference.

Witnesses failed to indicate the time of day in 38 cases (6 percent). Out of the remaining 562 occurrences, 305 (54%) occurred at night and 257 (46%) occurred during the day.

A Global Phenomenon

The 600 instances are almost universally dispersed. They are positioned over continental zones (564 in total), encompassing 56 nations, as well as above marine zones (36 cases). The American continent (North, Central, and South America) had 376 cases (58 percent), with North America having 298 instances (Canada and USA). 108 instances have been reported above Europe, with 33 of them occurring in French airspace.

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Russia Expects Paris to Back Initiatives on Preventing Outer Space Arms Race

Article by Mihail Metcel                                        April 11, 2021                                     (tass.com)

• In an interview with the Russian News Agency TASS on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight, Russian Ambassador to France Alexei Meshkov said that Moscow expects Paris to support its initiatives aimed at non-placement of arms in outer space.

• “Moscow and Paris on the whole share the need to ensure the safety of space activities and their implementation in accordance with the norms of international law,” says Meshkov. “This concerns the prevention of an arms race in outer space and the need to prevent turning it into a new arena of confrontation.”

• Part of Russia’s diplomatic initiative is “launching talks on the treaty on preventing the placement of arms in outer space.” The draft document was submitted by Russia and China,” said Meshkov. “This also refers to the commitments on the non-use of force or a threat to use force against space objects, agreeing measures on increasing trust in space. It’s also important to adopt global political commitments on no first placement of arms in outer space.”

• “We count on the support of these initiatives by Paris,” Meshkov stressed.

 

Russian Ambassador to France Alexei Meshkov

PARIS, April 11. /TASS/. Moscow expects Paris to support its initiatives aimed at non-placement of arms in outer space, Russian Ambassador to France Alexei Meshkov said in an interview with TASS on occasion of the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight.

According to him, “Moscow and Paris on the whole share the need to ensure the safety of space activities and their implementation in accordance with the norms of international law.” “This concerns the prevention of an arms race in outer space and the need to prevent turning it into a new arena of confrontation,” the diplomat said.

Russia is calling on its foreign partners, including France, to back its initiatives, the diplomat said. “Among them is launching talks on the treaty on preventing the placement of arms in outer space [the draft document was submitted by Russia and China – TASS],” Meshkov explained. “This also refers to the commitments on the non-use of force or a threat to use force against space objects, agreeing measures on increasing trust in space. It’s also important to adopt global political commitments on no first placement of arms in outer space.” “We count on the support of these initiatives by Paris,” he stressed.

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French Space Forces Reach For Higher Orbit

Article by Murielle Delaporte                                          April 9, 2021                                            (breakingdefense.com)

• France led its first multinational military space exercise, known as the ASTERX exercise, in Toulouse March 8-12 along with Germany, Italy and the U.S. The exercise was described by General Michel Friedling, head of the French Space Command, as a ‘’stress test’’ for the country’s space command processes and systems, and signals the country’s preparedness to face any future space conflict.

• The ASTERX exercise was a tactical exercise meant to train and prepare space combatants, with no less than 18 different simulated space events and scenarios ranging from an attack on a French satellite to space debris threatening civilian populations to an adversary jamming of allied SATCOM.

• The ASTERX exercise is one of the first tasks for French President Emmanuel Macron to overhaul the country’s space policy. The French military is moving to keep its rank as the third international space power in an increasingly large and competitive club of nations. The Covid pandemic has had a slight impact on that effort, postponing the launch of the military observation satellite CSO-2 spy satellite by a few months.

• 2021 already is set to be a busy year for French military space activities and organizational reforms with three major thrusts: 1) Restructure Military Space Chain of Command; 2) Modernize Space Capabilities; and 3) Pursue More Allied Cooperation.

• France is developing an integrated French Air and Space Force to replace the 2010-established joint space command. The combined force is now assembling about 200 AAE personnel, spread among four different sites and centers – Paris (management), Toulouse (space operations, command and control), Lyon (a space situational awareness center called COSMOS), and an observation center called CMOS in Creil. The CDE plans to host 500 military staff by 2025 in a building of its own in Toulouse.

• The Defense Ministry is hoping to tap into the commercial space industry to more rapidly develop modern capabilities. For example, the French space agency CNES will use the Ariane 5 heavy lift rocket to launch the first of two planned Syracuse IV military communications satellites, as well as the first of three planned Ceres signals intelligence. The next-generation Syracuse satellites, being developed by an Airbus/Thales Alenia Space team, are scheduled for launch in 2022. A third satellite is projected for 2030. The first Ceres sat, built by Airbus Defence and Space, is slated for launch this year.

• CNES is also going to participate in research under the recently designated ‘Yoda’ program — named after the Jedi master in Star Wars — for the development of France’s nano-satellites ‘patrol’. The patrol nanosats would identify on-orbit threats to France’s satellites and, if deemed necessary, disable the threat using an on-board laser.

• France considers international cooperation as vital for both France and Europe in order to face the ‘new front’ of space threats, and to gain new opportunities. Germany, Italy, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, India and Japan are considered key partners for France in the 2019 military space strategy. The US’s participation is a primary reason why France officially joined Space Command’s Combined Space Operations Initiative a year ago. NATO just approved Paris’ request to locate a new Center of Excellence for Space in Toulouse, inviting 42 experts – including 17 foreigners – in charge of doctrine, analysis, training and exercises.

• ASTERX is the first of many military space exercises with international partners. The name of the exercise is a tribute to the very first satellite France put in orbit in 1965, called Asterix. And both, of course, pay homage to the famous cartoon character all French children have grown up with since 1959: Astérix, a very stubborn chief of a Gallic village in the Roman era, whose inhabitants’ worst and constant fear is that the sky will fall on their heads … perhaps not such an irrational fear after all.

 

PARIS: France led its first multinational military space exercise last month, with

General Michel Friedling, head of the French Space Command

Germany, Italy and the US, marking the country’s effort to re-vamp its forces and operations to meet 21st century threats.

The exercise signals the French government’s intent to reach for a higher ‘orbit’ as a sovereign nation in order to be able to face any future space conflict. Up until now, Paris was a participant in US-led space wargames.

      French President Emmanuel Macron

The ASTERX exercise, took place in Toulouse March 8-12. It was described by Gen. Michel Friedling, head of the French Space Command, as a ‘’stress test’’ for the country’s space command processes and systems. A tactical exercise meant to train and prepare space combatants, ASTERX simulated an international crisis with no less than 18 different space events and scenarios ranging from an attack on a French satellite to space debris threatening civilian populations to an adversary jamming of allied SATCOM.

Assessing future space operational needs through this kind of exercise is one of the first tasks for the government of French President Emmanuel Macron in its full speed effort launched in 2019 to overhaul the country’s space policy. The Covid pandemic has had a slight impact on that effort, postponing the launch of the military observation satellite CSO-2 spy satellite by a few months. (The satellite was launched in December from France’s spaceport in French Guiana, joining its sister CSO-1 in a 300km polar orbit.) By and large, the French military is moving apace in keeping with Paris’ determination to, at a minimum, keep its rank as the third international space power in an increasingly large and competitive club of nations.

Indeed, 2021 already is set to be an especially busy year for French military space activities and organizational reforms. Three major thrusts are underway.

Restructure Military Space Chain of Command.

Contrary to the US move to create a Space Force separate from the Air Force, France is developing an integrated French Air and Space Force (AAE for ‘’armée de l’Air et de l’Espace’’). The new combined force was officially stood up on Sept. 11, 2020 — a year after the French Ministry of the Armed Forces created a Space Command (CDE) to replace the 2010-established joint space command.

The AAE has now received its first officer, nicknamed “bébé espace” (literally space baby), directly assigned to a space position after graduation from France’s equivalent of the Air Force Academy. There currently are about 200 AAE personnel, spread among four different sites and centers – Paris (management), Toulouse (space operations, command and control), Lyon (a space situational awareness center called COSMOS) and an observation center called CMOS in Creil. The CDE plans to host 500 military staff by 2025 in a building of its own in Toulouse — for now, the command is co-located within France’s civil space agency, CNES.

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UK Proposes the Creation of a Space Command

Article by Nicholas Puschman                                         January 5, 2021                                            (lexology.com)

• Since the 1967 Outer Space Treaty established the international legal framework for space activities, space has become recognized as a potential domain of warfare. Satellites are increasingly viewed as essential components of critical communications for military and defense purposes, and space-faring countries have made clear the importance of space and space technology to their current and future defense posture.

• In 2019, space was recognized by NATO as the latest operational domain (along with air, land, sea and cyberspace). In October 2020, NATO announced that it would establish a center for space operations at Ramstein airbase in Germany to increase deterrence and defense. While many countries have had space-related functions within existing military branches, both the US and France have recently established new military branches devoted to the strategic and military importance of space. In 2019, the U.S. established Space Force and France formed a new Space Command (Commandement de l’Espace), which supersedes the previous French military service dealing with space.

• In recent years, the UK government has been considering how to develop its capabilities in using space technology and ensuring that space is part of its national defense strategy. In 2019, the UK Ministry of Defence announced several new military space initiatives and published plans for a Defence Space Strategy, noting that “satellites and space-based services are vital to modern life” and that “there would be severe consequences from any disruption, whether by natural or man-made hazards, or intentional threats from hostile states”.

• On November 18, 2020, the UK announced its proposal to establish a new military command dedicated to space. (see previous ExoArticle here) The proposal of a new Royal Air Force (RAF) space command was part of an announcement by the UK Government of the largest defense budget since the Cold War of £16.5 billion over the next four years. The full details of how this new UK space command will be composed, and what it will do, remain to be seen.

• The potential opportunities of a new UK military space command will likely be of interest to industry players, and in particular those involved in the UK spaceport market in relation to commercial spaceflight and spaceports, such as those being established in Scotland. In announcing the new defense budget, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that “we will establish…a new RAF space command, launching British satellites and our first rocket from Scotland in 2022.”

 

Space has long been recognised as a potential domain of warfare – indeed, it was one of the major motivating factors in establishing the international legal framework for space activities in the form of the Outer Space Treaty 1967. Space continues to be viewed as an area of strategic importance for military capability, and satellites are increasingly viewed as essential components of critical communications for military and defence purposes. In recent years, many space-faring countries and international organisations have made clear the importance of space and space technology to their current and future defence.

At an international level, in 2019, space was recognised by NATO as the latest operational domain (along with air, land, sea and cyberspace) and adopted a new space policy. In October, NATO announced that it would establish a centre for space operations at Ramstein airbase in Germany to increase deterrence and defence.

At a national level, while many countries have long had space-related functions within existing military branches, countries such as the US and France, as two examples, have recently established new military branches to clearly demonstrate the strategic and military importance of space. In 2019, the US established an independent military branch dedicated to space defence, named the US Space Force. In the same year, France formed a new Space Command (Commandement de l’Espace), which supersedes the previous French military service dealing with space.

       UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

The UK announces the establishment of a new military command dedicated to space

On 18 November 2020, the UK announced its proposal to establish a new military command dedicated to space, similar to the recent moves taken by allied countries such as France and the US. The proposal of a new Royal Air Force (RAF) space command was part of an announcement by the UK Government of the largest defence budget since the Cold War of £16.5 billion over the next four years.

This announcement is in the continuity of the UK’s national defence strategy

While a new military branch is new, the UK Government has in recent years been considering how to develop its capabilities in using space technology and ensuring that space is part of its national defence strategy. In 2019, the UK Ministry of Defence announced several new military space initiatives and published plans for a Defence Space Strategy, noting that “satellites and space-based services are vital to modern life” and that “there would be severe consequences from any disruption, whether by natural or man-made hazards, or intentional threats from hostile states”.

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Former Senator Harry Reid Says US Government is Covering Up UFOs

Article by John Vibes                                     December 19, 2020                                  (anewspost.com)

• Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (pictured above) is the Congressman credited with initiating the $22 million pentagon UFO research program, the ‘Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program’ in 2007. So he’s had an interest in the UFO topic for a long time. In the documentary titled “The Phenomenon,” Reid said that UFOs and potential alien activity have been covered up by the government for years. “Why the federal government all these years has covered up, put brake pads on everything, stopped it, I think it’s very, very bad for our country,” Reid says.

• When asked again about UFOs in a recent interview, Reid said, “Do we have all the answers? Absolutely not. But at least we know that thousands of people have reported these unusual occurrences over the decades. And as I have said, we cannot ignore what’s going on. Russia, China and France are all working on this. And I hope that we will pick up the ball and continue to work on this.”

• Regarding video footage taken of UFOs engaging with US Navy aircraft pilots, flying around 30,000 feet in the air at hypersonic speeds and showing no visible engines or exhaust plumes, Reid said, “I’m happy that the Pentagon now allows its pilots to report these unusual occurrences. In the past, pilots have been afraid to acknowledge them because it could hurt their promotions. So I think the federal government is doing better at recognizing it’s something we have to stay on top of. And we have better cameras now with the aircraft, and we’ve got pictures we didn’t have before.”

• Earlier this year, the Pentagon announced the formation of a new UAP Task Force to study UFOs after the military acknowledged that pilots were encountering aircraft that might not have been made by humans. Leaked photos recently posted by The Debrief, showing a metallic object hovering 35,000 over the Atlantic Ocean, off the eastern coast of the United States in 2018 were reportedly studied by the task force. The aircraft was an “unidentified silver cube-shaped object”. They suggested that the craft could be “non-human,” “alien” or other “intelligences of unknown origin.”

• As reported in December, retired Israeli general Haim Eshed claimed that the United States and Israeli governments have been in contact with extraterrestrials for many years, but have not revealed this information to the public because they feel that the average citizen is not ready to know.

 

In a new documentary titled “The Phenomenon,” Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that UFOs and

                            Haim Eshed

potential alien activity have been covered up by the government for years.

“Why the federal government all these years has covered up, put brake pads on everything, stopped it, I think it’s very, very bad for our country,” Reid said in the documentary.

The former Senate majority leader has taken an interest in the topic for a long time and even obtained $22 million in taxpayer dollars to study UFOs through the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program while he was in office.

In a recent interview responding to questions about his belief in UFOs, Reid said, “Do we have all the answers? Absolutely not. But at least we know that thousands of people have reported these unusual occurrences over the decades. And as I have said, we cannot ignore what’s going on. Russia, China and France are all working on this. And I hope that we will pick up the ball and continue to work on this.”

He also commented on the footage that was taken of UFOs engaging with US Navy aircraft pilots.

In the footage, the objects are flying around 30,000 feet in the air at hypersonic speeds and showing no visible engines or exhaust plumes typical of any known aircraft currently on Earth.

“I’m happy that the Pentagon now allows its pilots to report these unusual occurrences. In the past, pilots have been afraid to acknowledge them because it could hurt their promotions. So I think the federal government is doing better at recognizing it’s something we have to stay on top of. And we have better cameras now with the aircraft, and we’ve got pictures we didn’t have before,” Reid said.

1:07 minute video of Harry Reid on UFOs from ‘The Phenomenon’ (‘1091 Pictures’ YouTube)

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Superfast Boomerang-Shaped UFO Spotted in France Sparks Alien Debate

by Nirmal Narayanan                June 22, 2018                  (ibtimes.co.in)

• A short but compelling video clip on the YouTube channel ‘Now You Know’ apparently shows a horseshoe-shaped UFO moving erratically across the skies in broad daylight over France on June 14th. (see 1:57 minute video below) The shape of the craft is similar to that of the alien craft portrayed in the Hollywood sci-fi flick ‘Prometheus’.

• Conspiracy theorists commenting on the video suggest that these repeated UFO sightings are evidence that the government is running a secret black project on space, and that Donald Trump’s space force has already begun.

 

A video uploaded to YouTube by conspiracy theory channel ‘Now You Know’ is now the hottest debating point among UFO buffs and alien enthusiasts. The short clip, apparently captured from France on June 14, shows a bright boomerang-shaped object moving erratically across the skies in broad daylight.
Interestingly, the object spotted in the video had a shape which is very similar to that of the alien craft portrayed in the Hollywood sci-fi flick ‘Prometheus’.

      spaceship depicted in the movie                             “Prometheus”

The video was later shared by popular UFO researcher Tyler Glockner on his YouTube page where it racked up more than 3,55,000 views.

As the clip went viral, conspiracy theorists suggested that these repeated UFO sightings are an indication that the government is running a secret black project on space. Some  of these theorists argue that Donald Trump’s space force has already started functioning in deep space, and they might be conducting a routine drill across the skies.

1:57 minute video of compelling UFO over France

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