The following document is an English translation of the Brazilian Air Force's official report on the Official UFO Night in Brazil. The event occurred on May 19, 1986 when 21 UFOs were pursued by Brazilian Air Force pilots and detected by ground radar, aircraft radar, and visually. It is one of the most well documented UFO events in history and lead to the following conclusion by the acting commander of the Brazilian Air Defense Command (COMDA):
the phenomena are solid and, in a certain way, reflect intelligence due to their ability to follow and maintain a distance from observers, as well as fly in formation, not necessarily with crews.
You can view the original PDF document here and the Portugeuse text transcription here.
From the Commander
To the Honorable Commander of the General Air Command
Subject: Occurrence Report
Ref.: Note No. 002/MIM/ADM, dated April 13, 1978
Attachment: 01 (one) Report
I am forwarding the attached document for your review.
Air Brigadier JOSÉ PESSOA CAVALCANTI DE ALBUQUERQUE Interim Commander of COMDA
The purpose of this report is to inform the authorities of the Ministry of Aeronautics, especially the Honorable Minister, of the events that occurred on the night of May 19, 1986, concerning the information from the Air Traffic Control and Air Defense Control agencies, as well as the interceptor pilots involved in the events.
Due to time constraints and specialized knowledge limitations in events of this nature, this Command has chosen, within the operational sphere, to limit itself to a simple narration of the facts in order to avoid speculations involving the Ministry of Aeronautics.
The Brazilian Aerospace Defense System, regarding RDA1, currently relies on detection equipment based on radars primarily intended for air traffic control, and is not specific for use in air defense.
Its technical limitations make airspace surveillance deficient in target detection, which is initiated manually, meaning constant controller intervention is necessary to maintain radar contact for periods during which a thorough assessment is possible. Consequently, tracking of the detected movements on that occasion was significantly hindered because it was impossible to maintain visual contact, even with the controllers' efforts, as the obtained contacts were not sufficiently strong to initiate tracking.
The information transmitted to the pilots by the Military Operations Center was based on the evaluation and experience of the Air Defense Controllers until the onboard equipment provided the pilots with the conditions to proceed with interceptions.
Regarding the interceptions carried out in the Anápolis area, at times, contacts were obtained through the radar network REDACTA (LP-23DPV-DT61), and vectoring was only possible due to detections made by the radar at Anápolis Air Base.
This section will describe all events in chronological order, along with the measures or actions taken by the Air Defense Command.
1 - 2315Z
The Brasília Area Control Center informed COpM 1 that the operator of the São José dos Campos Control Tower had spotted lights moving over the city.
The lights, although predominantly red, changed to yellow, green, and orange.
The TWR SJ operator simultaneously informed APP-SP, which confirmed radar contacts in the São José dos Campos area.
0008Z
(MAY 20) - The PT-MBZ pilot spotted lights on radial 150 of the São José dos Campos VOR, moving from East to West. The lights, according to the pilot's own information, appeared to be large and red stars.
The pilot, on his own initiative, observed these lights but could not approach them.
0014Z
The Officer on Duty at COpM was activated.
0023Z
The Officer on Duty at the Air Defense Operations Center (CODA) was activated.
0039Z
Upon the CODA Chief's instructions, an aircraft on alert at Santa Cruz Air Base was activated.
The decision to activate the alert aircraft was made due to radar detection of some "PLOTS" in the São José dos Campos area.
Although these detections did not result in defined radar echoes, they were used to vector the interception aircraft so that they could proceed with the interception using onboard radar.
0110Z
APP-AN reports detecting some echoes on its radar.
The radar echoes reported by APP-AN were not visible on the COpM equipment.
0111Z
Alert at Anápolis Air Base was activated.
This activation, ordered by CODA, was due to the information from the APP-AN operator that radar echoes with headings and speeds were still present.
0118Z
CODA requested Santa Cruz Air Base to activate two more aircraft on alert.
This request was made considering that only one aircraft is available to the Air Defense Command for possible activations, and the potential for this aircraft to remain in flight for a longer period than its autonomy allows, which later occurred, leading to its return and replacement by another vector.
0134Z
Takeoff of the first aircraft from Santa Cruz Air Base.
From this moment, after the necessary control transfers, the Military Operations Center began vectoring the aircraft to sector W, where some radar echoes were detected in the São José dos Campos area.
The aircraft pilot reported when stabilized at FL 170 that he was seeing a white light below his level, which later rose, maintaining a 10° elevation above his aircraft. The tracking continued until FL 330. The pilot also reported that at one point, the light changed from white to red, green, and white again, with white prevailing.
During the tracking, the aircraft established contact with the onboard equipment, indicating it was 10 to 12 miles away, confirming visual contact.
The tracking proceeded toward the sea until approximately 180 miles from Santa Cruz, at which point the pursuit was abandoned due to a lack of a positive reason for the lights' approach and because it was close to Minimum Fuel for Abandonment (CMA).
0148Z
Takeoff of the Alert Aircraft from Anápolis Air Base.
After the necessary control transfers, the aircraft was vectored to a point where detection was being done by APP-AN radar, which transmitted the information to COpM, which then relayed it to the pilot. This procedure was adopted because no radar echoes were visible on COpM equipment.
The pilot made five presentations, achieving contact and acquisition with his onboard radar but not achieving any visual contact.
During all presentations, the radar contact occasionally maintained a zigzag or sharply curved trajectory to the right.
Its speed varied, allowing both approach and sudden withdrawal, even though the interceptor was flying at supersonic speed, which led to the loss of contact, and the pursuit was then abandoned.
0150Z
Takeoff of the second aircraft from Santa Cruz Air Base.
After normal control procedures, the aircraft was vectored to the same area south of São José dos Campos.
The pilot reported seeing a red light in the position indicated by COpM, confirming the radar ground detection.
After a few minutes, it was observed that the light was not approaching and subsequently extinguished, simultaneously losing radar contact.
A significant event during this vectoring was the appearance, for a moment, of thirteen "plots" behind the aircraft, which commanded a 180° turn but did not achieve any visual or onboard radar contact.
0217Z
Takeoff of the second aircraft from Anápolis Air Base.
This aircraft did not obtain any visual or radar contact, similar to the second aircraft.
0236Z
Takeoff of the third aircraft from Anápolis Air Base.
Also, like the second aircraft, it did not achieve any contact.
02372 - Landing of the first aircraft from BASC;
0246Z - Landing of the first aircraft from BAAN;
0305Z - Landing of the second aircraft from BASC;
0307Z - Landing of the second aircraft from BAAN;
0330Z - Landing of the third aircraft from BAAN.
All recoveries and landings were performed normally.
1 - From the analysis of the events, according to the information from the controllers, pilots, and reports previously prepared by I CINDACTA, this Command is of the opinion that some points coincide concerning radar echo, acceleration, illumination, speeds, and behavior, both from technical detections and visual observations.
2 - Some of these can be listed as phenomena that exhibit certain consistent characteristics, as follows:
a. They produce radar echoes not only on the Air Defense System but also simultaneously on interceptor aircraft, with visual comparison by pilots.
b. They vary their speeds from subsonic to supersonic, as well as hover in flight.
c. They vary their altitudes from below FL-050 to altitudes above FL-400.
d. Sometimes they are visible due to white, green, red lights, while other times there is no luminous indication.
e. They have the ability to accelerate and decelerate abruptly.
f. They have the ability to make turns with constant radii and sometimes with undefined radii.
3 - As a conclusion from the observed events, in almost all presentations, this Command is of the opinion that the phenomena are solid and, in a certain way, reflect intelligence due to their ability to follow and maintain a distance from observers, as well as fly in formation, not necessarily with crews.
4 - It is worth noting the efficiency of the Air Units engaged in the operation, as, according to the plan, each of these units maintains an alert aircraft within 45 minutes, and with less than 30 minutes after activation, 7 (seven) armed vectors were available for deployment.
Air Brigadier JOSÉ PESSOA CAVALCANTI DE ALBUQUERQUE
Interim Commander of COMDA/NuCOMDABRA
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