State Department UAP Cable 1, Papua New Guinea, January 28, 1985
Department of State · 1/24/85 · Papua New Guinea · Document
State Department UAP Cable 1, Papua New Guinea, January 28, 1985 is indexed as a Department of State record with incident date 1/24/85 and location Papua New Guinea. This document is a U.S. Department of State diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to USCINCPAC (United States Indo-Pacific Command) at Honolulu, HI on January 28, 1985. The cable reports that the U.S. Embassy to Papua New Guinea received an inquiry from the host nation s intelligence services regarding reports of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft in Papua New Guinean airspace on the evening of January 24, 1985. The cable refers to a representative of the local intelligence services as NIO, or National Intelligence Officer, throughout. The NIO relayed to U.S. diplomatic personnel that residents had been frightened by overflights, which led to the provincial premier s calling of a public meeting on the subject. The NIO also stated there had been various reports of unidentified aerial phenomena the night of January 24, including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails, and noise. The NIO assessed these reports as credible based upon the testimony of an Air Niugini pilot who said that their radar had picked up aircraft flying south to north at high altitude and high speed. The cable concludes by characterizing the information provided by the NIO as very sketchy. It also sought clarification from U.S. INDOPACOM on the presence or absence of U.S. military aircraft within Papua New Guinean airspace on the night in question.
Notable / anomalous element
- Embassy january 28 received informal inquiry from png national intelligence organization (nio) concerning reported sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft over png during evening january 24. (native PDF text, page 1)
- Nio said there have been various reports of unidentified aerial phenomena the night of january 24, including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails, limited official use limited official use page 02 port m 00199 2807042 and noise. (native PDF text, page 2)
- Several visual sightings of contrails were also reported from various points around png, of one aircraft moving north to south at 1900 local and of six-eight aircraft traveling south to north at 2200 local. (native PDF text, page 2)
- Alt hough information provided us on these sightings is very sketchy and sources were unsure of the directions in which aircraft were flying, we would most appreciate confirmation of para 3 above and any light you might throw on these reports. (native PDF text, page 2)
Details
- Embassy january 28 received informal inquiry from png national intelligence organization (nio) concerning reported sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft over png during evening january 24. (native PDF text, page 1)
- Released in Full IJohn Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State 12/25/2026 UNCLASSIFIED Pagel of 3 (native PDF text, page 1)
- Nio said there have been various reports of unidentified aerial phenomena the night of january 24, including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails, limited official use limited official use page 02 port m 00199 2807042 and noise. (native PDF text, page 2)
- The report in which nio places some credence originated with an air niugini pilot who had just taken off from wewak enroute port moresby. (native PDF text, page 2)
- Several visual sightings of contrails were also reported from various points around png, of one aircraft moving north to south at 1900 local and of six-eight aircraft traveling south to north at 2200 local. (native PDF text, page 2)
- Alt hough information provided us on these sightings is very sketchy and sources were unsure of the directions in which aircraft were flying, we would most appreciate confirmation of para 3 above and any light you might throw on these reports. (native PDF text, page 2)
- Gardner limited official use nnn unclassified page 2 of 3 (native PDF text, page 2)
- UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 Dissemination Rule: Archive Copy UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 3 of 3 (native PDF text, page 3)
Tags: State Department, Papua New Guinea, Aircraft, Lights, Aerial phenomena, Radar