Interpreting the MUFON Stephenville UFO radar report: What does it say?

by Steve Hammons

What are some of the key points in the report released Thursday, July 10, 2008, that was prepared by Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) investigators? The “special research report” is titled “Stephenville Lights: A Comprehensive Radar and Witness Report Study Regarding the Events of January 8, 2008, 4 pm to 8 pm.” The report’s authors, Glen Schulze and Robert Powell, are identified as highly-trained experts in technical and scientific fields relevant to this investigation. Schulze in particular is reported to have an extensive background in radar systems. Although the report itself includes many sections of a highly technical nature, much of the language in it is plain-spoken.

POINTS TO CONSIDER

According to Schulze and Powell, the following elements emerged in their investigation:
1) Several radar facilities in the region surrounding the Stephenville, Dublin and Selden region provide radar coverage for that area. Some of this data was provided to the investigators.

2) Military commands in the area did provide some helpful information, but other information did not seem to be forthcoming in response to Freedom of Information Act requests by the investigators.

3) Several military aircraft were in the skies the evening of Jan. 8, 2008, and were conducting flights in the nearby military operating area (MOA). Some of these military aircraft had transponders turned on and some had transponders turned off. Some military flights veered into civilian airspace over the Stephenville region. There is no immediate explanation for this.

4) The investigators suspect that an Airborne Warning and Command System (AWACS) aircraft was circling the area, based on radar data.

5) A very large unidentified craft or object was detected by radar. According to the report, “This object had no transponder and was tracked on radar for over an hour. Most of the time, the object was either stationary, or moving at speeds of less than 60 mph. At 7:32 pm, the object was tracked accelerating to 532 mph in 30 seconds and then slowing to 49 mph only 10 seconds later.”

6) The location and direction of flight of this object correlated with the reports from reliable eyewitnesses on the ground.

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