ALSACAT-1995-00-00-X-1
On July 28, 2010, a non-anonymous man, regular visitor of my website, sent me an email, reporting that he had witnessed, as an intelligence officer in the French Air Force for several years, some phenomena encountered by pilots.
He reported to me on such a case; which occurred in 1995, saying it is still very clear in his memory.
There had been an alert horn call following a message from German air traffic controllers alerting on a "plot" entering the airspace, heading East to West-North-West.
Two Mirage F1 jet fighter aircraft ready for take-off in the western hangarettes of the airbase and armed with "war bonds" had been sent on radar alert of the "Strida" system and order of the base control in the middle of the night, while my correspondent was then on standby listening to "night flights" at the military air traffic control station for his shift from 00:30 to 06:00 a.m.
The pursuit of the "target" was carried out over southern Alsace, west-northwest direction, at an altitude of 2500 meters, then towards the altitude of 7000 meters, for a duration of interception of about 7 minutes.
What was most disturbing is that all the air systems of the leader and winger were "out of order", without any human action being at the origin of this.
On the coammands of the radar controller, both jets applied the emergency procedures, connecting the systems to "backup". The integrity of the two aircraft not being in danger, the continuation of the mission seemed however very compromised.
The leader had connected the emergency systems, as well as the backup generator to feed the secondary instruments and to return to his patrol back to the base without damage, imitated by the winger.
The leader's radar was placed by default under "standby / telemetry" (Cyrano), the normal setting for such an operation, it had recorded and located the "plot", to join it on the axis Colmar - Strasbourg, 25 kilometers, at a speed of 380 knots, all this being controlled by several radars, including the one of the TMA space standby (traffic and watch set) of the air force base - of which he does not give the name.
At about 4 to 5 kilometers from their target, everything was out of order in the cockpit of the jet planes. The night lighting, the HUD (Head Up Display), the on-board radio, the radar tracking system, everything was out of order, and it was almost enough to make "everything fall down and that the two buddies crash in the middle of the night above the Vosges mountains..."
The only elements still operating in the jets were the hydraulic systems, both normal and emergency hydraulic systems, the engine, which was normal since the F1 engine is mechanically driven, the emergency compasses which are not controlled by the jets' systems, the emergency power generator which is separate from the jets' main steering system.
It was also notable that the dashboard camera was working because it was electro-mechanical, tape-based, and not digital.
The target once reached and joined did not attempt any evasive action. The hets had the target in visual sight for nearly 4 minutes, at a distance very complicated to evaluate because of the absence of any means of measurement in working condition (the radar, the self-protection system depending of the system Mirage F1 CT digital weapon bus were out of order.)
After 4 minutes, the objective moved away at a separation speed estimated at Mach 2, then there was a "tremendous" acceleration until complete disappearance towards the west axis.
The report of the CNE leader M. whom my correspondent had personally debriefed on his return, with several officers including Colonel D..., chief of the 13th at that time, as well as the Lieutenant Colonel commanding the squadron "Alsace" was very clear: it was a bright orange light, glittering, sometimes turning pinkish white.
There was no attempt at evasive maneuvers nor collision maneuver, the flight line was straight to the west-northwest, the speed quite slow, slowing down, before the target took the direction of the West and disappeared.
The copying of the recording tapes gave it a speed of 160 knots (about 500 km / h).
The leader had released his flaps at 10° to stabilize his plane and gain lift to follow the target. The winger noticed this and imitated his leader because the red white green anti-collision lights were running thanks to the emergency electrical circuit.
For his part, the winger then passed below right and behind the "target", the leader remaining on the left wing. The winger was then able to better describe the "thing", as being very brilliant, non-oscillating, and a respectable size of about 6 to 8 meters in diameter, shaped like a saucer. It was bright orange on the top, pinkish white below. There was no emission of engine gases, no signature or infra-red traces, no visible nozzle outlets, nothing showing a propulsion system.
A "camera shoot" was then taken on the target by the winger in the axis of encounter, from left to right. No radar recording was possible nor recording of the displays on the HUD, the viewfinder being out of service.
The bright light of this phenomenon did not illuminate the cabin of the two aircraft, it was not blinding, just sharp and very bright. At this moment, the two Mirage F1 are on the right and on the left behind the "tarret". After its departure, the two planes returned to the base by the shortest "rail", joining the axis of the runway and making the descent with the fire brigade on alert, all beacons on, and the end of the runway barrier ready "just in case", since the Mirage F1 can brake properly even without electricity.
Descending from their planes, the two pilots were pale, and had knees like "cotton and trembling" at the descent of the ladder.
My correspondent makes the following observations:
The two Cyrano 2 radars were "fried as if their electronics had been bombarded, without anyone realizing how, their directional antenna was in good condition."
"All the breakers (circuit breakers) of the on board circuits were on "triggered", a sign of a very big power overload. The pilots could not have handled them since the F1 is a narrow plane and the breakers of the systems of the plane are in the nose gear hatch on this model, except the vital or essential ones that are in the right rear side cabin that were on 'on'."
"A copy and a radar record of the detection station (of which I do not give the identification) and the control station (whose location I do not give) showed the route and the altitude of the "object" alone and then of the "object" and the F1's in flight. Two radar antenna sweeps later, i.e. two seconds, there remained only the two F1's in failure in the sky."
There was a splendid videotape showing the phenomenon well, it was handed over together with the report of my correspondent and that of the two pilots to a competent authority, according to what was said to my correspondent several days later. It was impossible to copy it, my correspondent not figuring how he could have done that because he had signed acts holding him to the defense secret for 10 years at least.
| Date: | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Time: | Night |
| Duration: | 7 minutes. |
| First known report date: | July 28, 2010 |
| Reporting delay: | 15 years. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | ? |
| Place: | |
| Latitude: | 47.864 |
| Longitude: | 7.245 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 80 km |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 3+ |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 0 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | Adults. |
| Witness(es) types: | 2 fighter pilots, radar men. |
| Reporting channel: | Third party email to me. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | From radar station and in Mirage F1. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | Yes |
| UFO departure observed: | Yes |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | ? |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Hynek: | RV |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Possible extraterresrial visitors. |
[Ref. pgs1:] REPORT SENT TO ME:
| Number: | FR0353 |
|---|---|
| Date written: | July 28, 2010 |
| Date received: | July 28, 2010 |
| Date published: | August 2, 2010 |
| Date of sighting: | 1995 |
| Place of sighting: | Alsace, [city] |
| Original language of report: | French |
| Reported using: | |
| Unreleased information: | Name, firstname, company, email address, mail address, phones, Air Force stations names and codenames and locations |
| Investigation, additional information: | None |
| Explanation: | Not looked for |
Subjet: Seen at close sight
Date: July 28, 2010
From: [company] [pseudonyme]@[company].eu
Hello Sir,
for several years, I brrowse your website and I can only congratulate you on the accomplished work.
Texts photographs and videos which abounds there are of an interest more than omportant and what pleases me especially it is the "neither hot nor cold" of your comments, finally an objective and responsible website and who invites to the true reflexion, even to a more intelligent and enlightened outlook on the UFO question.
Much applause
Here is what I can deliver today:
I was a witness, as an intelligence officer in the AF during several years, of certain phenomena encountered by pilots.
Here is one of 1995 which remains very clear in my memory:
Alarm horn following a message of German contollers announcing a "blip" entering airspace course east towards west north west.
Two plane Mirage F1 CT type in PO in the western hangarettes of the base armed "bons de guerre" [war-ready].
Those, took off in PO (ops patrol) on radar alarm of the "strida" system and order from the base control in middle of the night. I was then on "night flight" survey duty at the [military airspace control spot] for my quarter from 0030 to 0600. The puirsuit of the "target" taking place above southern Alsace, west north west direction, altitude 8000Feet (2500 meters); then catch of level towards the altitude 21000 (7000 meters). duration of the interception approximately 7 minutes.
The most puzzling, is that all the leader's and the winger's on-board systems were "out of function", with no human action being at its origin. On the command of the control ([Control code name], you can't make that up...) the two craft applied the ermergency procedures and connected the systems on "help". The integrity of the two aircraft not being in danger, the continuation of the mission seemed however extremely compromised.
the leader connected the back-up systems, as well as the emergency generator to supply the secondary instruments and to make his patrol return to the ground without damage imitated by the winger.
The airborne radar of the leader having been put on default (normal within the framework of a PO) under "survey / telemetry " (cyrano) recorded and located the "blip", allowing an interception on the axis Strasbourg Colmar, on 25 km at the speed of 380 Knts.the whole controlled by several radars, of which that of space watch of the TMA (traffic and peripheral survey)of the base of [city].
at approximately 4 to 5 km of the target, failure everywhere in the cockpits... passage to night lighting of the cocpkit failed, HUD failed, onboard radio failed, conduit of radar tracking failed. it didn't miss much to get it all crash down and the two buddies die in the middle of the night abov the Vosges...
Only functioning items:
hydraulics (normal and backup circuit)
engine (normal, mechanical operation of the Mirage F1 engine...)
backup compass (independent from onbord systems)
backup power generator (sinc it is sperataed from the main operation system of the plane)
ANd, this must be noted, the onboard camera, because electromecanic with tape, and nondigital (a chance)
The target joined and reached did not try any avoidance. Visual on the target for almost 4 minutes, distance very complicated to evaluate because of absence of any functioning means of measurement (radar off-function, self-protection system off function, because controlled by the weapon system / digital data bus on the mirage F1 CT). speed of distancing at the end of 4 minutes estimated at Mach 2, then "tremendous" acceleration until complete disappearance western axis.
The report of the leader CNE M..... whom I personally debriefed on his return, with several officers COL D... chief of [unit] at that time, as well as the the L-COL controlling the "Alsace" squadron is very clear on this point. Very sharp orange light, scintillating, changing sometimes to rosy white. No attempt of distancing or collision, rectilinear axis to the west norts west rather slow speed, in deceleration before taking western axis then disappearance. (the recopy of the recording tapes gave 160 Knts. (X 2.8 what gives approximately 500 km/h). the leader then extended his wingflaps to 10° in order to stabilize the plane and to gain in bearing pressure to follow the target. The winger could realize that and imitated his chief for the anti-collision lights were on (green white red) on the help power circuit 1.
On his side, the winger then passed below on the right behind the "target", the leader remaining left wing. The winger then managed to better describe the "thing", as being very brilliant, not oscillating, and of a sizeable dimension of approximately 6 m to 8 meters in diameter. saucer shaped. sharp orange at the top, rosy white on the lower part. no engine gass emission nor IR signature, not visible exhaust conduits.Nothing.
A "camera shot" was then taken on the target by the winger in the axis of reaching, from the left towards the right. No radar recording possible, nor visual recopy on the HUD. (on-board sight not functioning) for catch of the target.
The sharp light of this phenomenon did not light the cabin of the two planes, and was not dazzling just sharp and very brilliant. At this time, both F1 are on the right and on the left in withdrawal from the "target" After the disappearance of the "objet", return to the base by the shortest rail, join of axis and descent with the firemen, all gyro lit, barrier at the end of track ready to... "just in case". A F1 mirage slows down well... without electricity
M..... came down pale, R.. no better.
Observations:
-2 cyrano2 radars roasted (electronic apparently bombarded but how? that thing is only working as an emitter) directional antenna in good condition.
- All the breakers (circuit breakers) of the on board system were on "started" (sign of a very big overload!). the pilots not being able to handle them, and due, F1 is a narrow plane and the breakers of the plane's systems are in the trap door of the nose gear on this model, exept the vital ones or the essential ones which are in the cockpit, right back side they were on "on".
- a recopy and a recording radar from [control station codename] and the [tracking station] of [city] showing well the road and the altitude of the "object" only and then of the "object and F1" in "patrol" flight if you will... two turns of antenna later, there remained nothing any more but two broken down F1 in the sky... (one antenna turn equates to one second)
- two pairs of cotton knees shaking at the coming down of the ladder [of the jets by the pilots]
- a hangar siren which had to be shut down by hammer hits, for it would not stop anymore (nothing to do with the phenomenon)
But! a splendid videotape showing the phenomenon well. It was given as well as my report and that of the two pilots to a responsible authority, according to what I was told several days later impossible to copy it, and I badly saw myself doing it, having signed the secrecyacts for 10 years at least (confidential and defense secret).
That's it.
nothing very new in this small testimony, exept that in the AF one sees quite a number of these little unexplainable things. at least on our radars sometimes. And that there is a crowd of pilots and controllers who would have things to tell.
this testimony for you only please.
Good continuation.
[NAME] [Firstname]
[Title]
[Company]
[Mail address]
[Phone]
[Phone]
Air Base 132 of the French Air Force known as "Colmar-Meyenheim" and "Base Commandant René Pépin", closed in 2010, is most likely the starting base for these operations. My correspondent mentions the "13th", and it is at this base that the "13th all-weather fighter squadron" was stationed.
It is from November 1992 that the Mirage IIIE and Mirage 5F of base 132 are gradually replaced by the Mirage F1CT, which are modernized Mirage F1C-200, optimized for ground attack.
Note that on July 1, 1997, the 3/13 "Alsace" Fighter Squadron was dissolved, and was reborn the same day under the names of EC 1/30 "Alsace". There were still Mirage F1CTs at the base at least until 2005.
(Sources for this: Wikipedia FR at https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_a%C3%A9rienne_132_Colmar-Meyenheim and http://florent1973.free.fr/FrenchAirWings/francais/aviation/avion/Mirage % 20F1CT / fiche_MirageF1CT.htm, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadron_de_chasse_1/30_Alsace, and others.)
The operational center for military radar coverage for the north-east of France was at Drachenbronn in the Bas-Rhin in those years. (The Grand Ballon radome was only built in 1998.)
Note that I was able to find that the 13th Fighter Squadron was then indeed commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel D[...].
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The Mirage F1CT is a swept-wing single-seat tactical assault (CT = Tactical Fighter) jet designed to replace the Mirage IIIE and Mirage 5F. It is in fact a modification of the Mirage F1 C-200 made available by the arrival of the Mirage 2000 and to which a laser rangefinder, a new radar warning detector and a new ejection seat were set. The electrical system was completely replaced and the on-board electronics modernized, while the removal of the left barrel later allowed the installation of two small cameras. In all, fifty-five Mirage F1 C-200s were converted to F1 CT, the first entering service in 1992. The last flight of a Mirage F1 CT in the French Air Force took place on October 16, 2012.
It had a SNECMA Atar 9K50 engine with 4.7 tons of thrust and 6.8 ton of thrust with afterburner on, its ceiling was 52,000 ft (20,000 m), its maximum speed Mach 2.2, its range of action is 350 nm (it can be refueled in flight to extend this range.)
His on-board radar was a "Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV-M" (below).
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My correspondent is apparently wrong about the radar: the Cyrano II had equipped the Mirage III and 5F, on the Mirage F1, it was its successor, the "Cyrano IV", which was in use (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_(radar)). As the Cyrano II were used at BA 132 on pre-F1 aircraft, I don't think this error is really significant.
The images of the two OMERA 60 cameras (75 mm focal length, 10 frames per second, manufacturer: Gaullier) placed at the location of the left barrel door of the F1CT were recorded on Mini-DV cassettes. The cameras allowed the reproduction of shots and the recognition of opportunity, a GPS antenna to locate the images and a Thomspon TM 602 range finder located in an appendix under the nose made it possible to measure the distances of the targets.
Over time, two small mission recording cameras were added to the fuselage.
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Possible extraterrestrial visitors.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | july 6, 2021 | Creation, [pgs1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | july 6, 2021 | First published. |
