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SUMMARY REPORT ON OBSERVATIONS 30-31 MARCH 1990
BACKGROUND
1. Starting early Dec 89 the BAF has been contacted on several occasions by
eyewitnesses who observed strange phenomena in the Belgian airspace. On some
occassions they described the phenomena as a triangle-shaped platform up to
200 feet wide with 3 downward beaming projectors, hovering at +- 100 m above
the ground and making only a very light humming noise. Some witnesses saw the
object departing at very high speed after a very fast acceleration. All
observations were made in the evening or during the night. 2. The radar
stations which had been alerted by eyewitnesses could not definitely determine
a correlation between the visual observations and their detections on radar.
On two occasions the BAF scrambled 2 F16 during the evening hours. a.On the
first occasion the F16 arrived +- 1 hour after the visual detection. Nothing
was observed. b. On the second occassion, pilots could identify a laser-beam
projector on the ground. After investigation it appeared however that the
description of the observations totally differed from previously described
phenomena. 3. Consequently the Belgian Airforce, anxious to identify the
origin of the phenomena, authorised F16 scrambles if following conditions were
met: a. Visual observations on the ground confirmed by the local police. b.
Detection on radar.
EVENTS
4. On 30 Mar 1990 at 23.00 Hr the Master Controller (MC) of the Air Defence
radar station of Glons received a phone call from a person who declared to
observe three independant blinking lights in the sky, changing colours, with a
much higher intensity than the lights of the stars and forming a triangle.
Meteo conditions were clear sky, no clouds, light wind and a minor temperature
inversion at 3000 Ft. 5. The MC in turn notified the police of WAVRE which
confirmed the sighting at +- 23 30 Hr. Meanwhile the MC had identified a
radar contact at about 8 NM North of the ground observation. The contact
moved slowely to the West at a speed of =- 25kts and an altitude of 10.000 Ft.
6. The ground observers reported 3 additional light spots which moved
gradually, with irregular speeds, towards the first set of lights and forming
a second triangle. 7. At 23.50 a second radar station, situated at +- 100 NM
>from the first, confirmed an identical contact at the same place of the radar
contact of Glons. 8. At 00.05 Hr 2 F16 were scrambled from BEAUVECHAIN airbase
and guided towards the radar contacts. A total of 9 interception attempts
have been made. At 6 occasions the pilots could establish a lock-on with their
air interception radar. Lock-on distances varried between 5 and 8 NM. On all
occasions targets varied speed and altitude very quickly and break-locks
occured after 10 to 60 seconds. Speeds varied between 150 and 1010 kts. At 3
occasions both F16 registered simultaneous lock-ons with the same parameters.
The 2 F16 were flying +- 2 NM apart. No visual contact could be established
by either of the F16 pilots. 9. The F16 flew 3 times through the observation
field of the ground observers. At the third passage the ground observers
notified a change in the behaviour of the light spots. The most luminous
started to blink very intensively while the other disappeared. Consequently,
the most luminous spot started to dim gradually. 10. Meanwhile the head of the
police of WAVRE had alerted 4 other police stations in the area. All four,
seperated +- 10 NM from each other, confirmed the visual observations. 11. The
aircraft landed at 01.10 Hrs. The last visual observation was recorded at +-
01.30 Hrs.
CONCLUSIONS
12. The BELGIAN Airforce was unable to identify neither the nature nor the
origin of the phenomena. However, it had sufficient elements to exclude
following assumptions: a. Balloons. Impossible due to the highly variable
speeds (confirmed visually and by radar). b. ULM. Same as for balloons. c.
RPV. Impossible due to the hovering characteristics. d. Aircraft (including
Stealth). Same as for RPV. No noise. e. Laser projections or Mirages.
Unlikely due to lack of projection surface (no clouds). Light spots have been
observed from different locations. Light spots moved over distance of more
than 15 NM. Form of inlighted part of spots has been observed with
spectacles. Laser projections or mirages can not be detected by radar.
{signed}
W. DE BROUWER
Kol Vl SBH
VS3
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