Awaiting editorial reviewSerial f6588bd4-608f-4d76-9fe7-204c0de0c019
State Department UAP Cable: Papua New Guinea Overflight Inquiry, January 1985
Prepared summary.
On January 28, 1985, the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby cabled USCINCPAC in Honolulu reporting that Papua New Guinea's National Intelligence Organization had inquired about sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft over PNG on the evening of January 24. The PNG NIO described "various reports of UAP," including fast-moving objects with lights, contrails, and noise, and placed particular credence in an Air Niugini pilot whose radar picked up aircraft flying south to north at high altitude and high speed over Angoram.
Papua New GuineaPNG National Intelligence Organization (NIO) officer, WewakLocal residents, WewakPNG Prime MinisterPNG provincial premierUnnamed aircrewAircraft or vehicle
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[page 1] UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 # UNCLASSIFIED MRN: 85 PORT MORESBY 199 | MRN: | 85 PORT MORESBY 199 | |-|-| | Date/DTG: | Jan 28, 1985 / 280000Z Jan 85 | | From: | AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY | | Action: | USCINCLANTROUTINE | | E .0.: | Unknown | | TAGS: | MARR, PP | | Reference: | n/a | | Subject: | PAPUA NEW GUINEA INQUIRY RE OVERFLIGHTS | LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE01 PORT M 00199 280704Z ACTION PM-11 INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 INR-10 SS-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 NSAE-00 EAP-00 /022 W -026406 280708Z/12 0 280653Z JAN 85 FM AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY TO USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE INFO 43SW ANDERSON AFB GU IMMEDIATE SECSTATE WASHDC 1694 AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSYJAKARTA LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PORT MORESBY 00199 USCINCPACFOR J3 AND POLAD 43 SW FOR DONO STATE FOR EAP/PIA AND PM/RSA E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: MARR, PP SUBJECT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA INQUIRY RE OVERFLIGHTS 1. EMBASSY JANUARY 28 RECEIVED INFORMAL INQUIRY FROM # UNCLASSIFIED (cont.) PNG NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (NIO) CONCERNING REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF HIGH-ALTITUDE, HIGH-SPEED AIRCRAFT OVER PNG DURING EVENING JANUARY 24. MATTER CAME TO NIO'S ATTENTION WHEN ITS OFFICER IN WEWAK REPORTED LOCAL RESIDENTS HAD BEEN FRIGHTENED BY OVERFLIGHTS, WHICH LED TO THE PROVINCIAL PREMIER'S CALLING OF A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE SUBJECT ATTENDED BY THE PRIME MINISTER WHO WAS WEEKENDINGIN HIS ELECTORAL DISTRICT. Released in Full John Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State 2/25/2026 UNCLASSIFIED Page 1 of 3 [page 2] UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 2. NIO SAID THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS REPORTS OF UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA THENIGHT OF JANUARY 24, INCLUDING FAST-MOVING OBJECTS WITH LIGHTS, CONTRAILS, LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 PORT M 00199 2807042 AND NOISE. THEREPORT IN WHICH NIO PLACES SOME CREDENCE ORIGINATED WITH AN AIR NIUGINI PILOT WHOHAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM WEWAK ENROUTE PORT MORESBY. PILOT SAID HIS RADAR PICKED UP AIRCRAFT FLYING SOUTH TO NORTH AT HIGH ALTITUDE AND HIGH SPEED WHEN HE WAS OVER ANGORAM (VIC 4 DEG S, 144 DEG E). SEVERAL VISUAL SIGHTINGS OF CONTRAILS WERE ALSO REPORTED FROM VARIOUS POINTS AROUND PNG, OF ONE AIRCRAFT MOVING NORTH TO SOUTH AT1900 LOCAL ANDOFSIX-EIGHT AIRCRAFT TRAVELING SOUTH TONORTHAT 2200 LOCAL. 3. BASED ON OUR RECORDS AND TELCON WITH 43SW, WE HAVE TOLD NIO WE KNEW OF NO B-52 OVERFLIGHTS AND NO U.S. AIRCRAFT IN PNG AIRSPACE ON JANUARY 24. 4. ALTHOUGH INFORMATION PROVIDED US ON THESE SIGHTINGS IS VERY SKETCHY AND SOURCES WERE UNSURE OF THE DIRECTIONSINWHICH AIRCRAFT WERE FLYING, WE WOULDMOST APPRECIATE CONFIRMATION OFPARA 3 ABOVE AND ANY LIGHT YOU MIGHT THROW ON THESE REPORTS. GARDNER LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNN UNCLASSIFIED [page 3] UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 Dissemination Rule: Archive Copy UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 3 of 3