1985 State Department UAP Cable 1, Papua New Guinea, January 28, 1985

Page 1 --- UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 “UNCLASSIFIED” 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED MRN: 85 PORT MORESBY 199 Date/DTG: Jan 28, 1985 / 280000Z Jan 85 From: AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY Action: USCI…’ aiBriefing: ’## Document Overview

This is a 1985 U.S. Department of State cable from the American Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, documenting an informal inquiry from the PNG National Intelligence Organization regarding reported overflights by unidentified aircraft on January 24, 1985. The cable relays local witness accounts and the embassy’s denial of any known U.S. military flights in the area, while requesting further information from U.S. Pacific Command.

Source: AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY cable, PORT M 00199, dated January 28, 1985; released in full on 12/25/2026 under FOIA.

What This Document Contains

• A summary of the Papua New Guinea National Intelligence Organization’s (NIO) informal inquiry about sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft that reportedly frightened local residents in Wewak and prompted a public meeting attended by the Prime Minister.

• Multiple witness reports, including a credible account from an Air Niugini pilot whose radar detected a fast-moving, high-altitude aircraft near Angoram, and visual sightings of contrails from several locations, with inconsistent directional data (north-to-south and south-to-north).

• The U.S. Embassy’s assertion, based on its own records and communication with the 43rd Strategic Wing, that no B-52 overflights or other U.S. aircraft were in PNG airspace on January 24, along with a request for confirmation from USCINCPAC.

• The document was originally marked Limited Official Use and was later declassified and released in full under the AARO Collection Support Project.

Source: Cable text, pages 1–2; metadata indicates CSP-2025-00040, B-00002707027.

Key Observations

• “FAST-MOVING OBJECTS WITH LIGHTS, CONTRAILS, AND NOISE” were reported the night of January 24, 1985.

• An Air Niugini 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).”

• Visual sightings included “ONE AIRCRAFT MOVING NORTH TO SOUTH AT 1900 LOCAL AND OF SIX-EIGHT AIRCRAFT TRAVELING SOUTH TO NORTH AT 2200 LOCAL.”

Source: Page 2 of the cable.

Context & Significance

This cable is a routine diplomatic communication relaying a host-nation inquiry about possible territory violations; it illustrates how reports of “unidentified aerial phenomena” were occasionally conveyed through official channels during the Cold War. The document surfaced in the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office’s (AARO) collection effort, but it does not indicate any follow-up investigation or special interest in UAP.

Source: Document release markings and AARO’s Collection Support Project identifiers.

Evidence Assessment

What this document shows:

• The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby was aware of a cluster of sightings that included radar data and multiple visual witnesses, which caused local political concern.

• The U.S. government officially stated it had no military aircraft involved and sought verification from higher headquarters.

What this document does NOT show:

• No confirmation of extraterrestrial origin or technology.

• No definitive identification of the observed phenomena; the descriptions could be consistent with conventional aircraft, natural atmospheric events, or sensor errors.

• The document provides no technical analysis, resolution of the conflicting directional reports, or evidence of a broader pattern.

Assessment: This cable offers a contemporaneous, official record of a reported sighting event and the U.S. government’s initial response, but its evidentiary value for UAP studies is low to moderate. The information is secondhand, contradictory, and lacks any follow-up data to enable identification. Independent analysis should refer to the original document and any related PNG or U.S. military records.’ keyFindings: [] tags:

• DOW
• Cable
• Oceania relatedFiles: [] featured: false heroImage: /pdf-covers/state-department-uap-cable-1-papua-new-guinea-january-28-1985.png documentType: Cable region: Oceania decade: 1980s releaseBatch: Release 01 coverImage: /pdf-covers/state-department-uap-cable-1-papua-new-guinea-january-28-1985.png archiveId: State_Department_UAP_Cable_1,_Papua_New_Guinea,_January_28,_1985 warGovUrl: https://www.war.gov/ufo/#State Department Uap Cable 1 Papua New Guinea January 28 1985 officialDescription: ’--- Page 1 --- UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707027 “UNCLASSIFIED” 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED MRN: 85 PORT MORESBY 199 Date/DTG: Jan 28, 1985 / 280000Z Jan 85 From: AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY Action: USCINCLANT ROUTINE E.0.: Unknown TAGS: MARR, PP Reference: n/a Subject: PAPUA NEW GUINEA INQUIRY RE OVERFLIGHTS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 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 USCINCPAC FOR 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’ evidenceLevel: Historical Record hasUAPObservation: true mentionsPhysicalEvidence: false mentionsBiological: false ocrQuality: high

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[WARN] AI-Generated Summary: This summary is generated from publicly released government documents for informational purposes only. Always refer to the original document linked below for the complete unredacted record.

Document Overview

This is a 1985 U.S. Department of State cable from the American Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, documenting an informal inquiry from the PNG National Intelligence Organization regarding reported overflights by unidentified aircraft on January 24, 1985. The cable relays local witness accounts and the embassy’s denial of any known U.S. military flights in the area, while requesting further information from U.S. Pacific Command.

Source: AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY cable, PORT M 00199, dated January 28, 1985; released in full on 12/25/2026 under FOIA.

What This Document Contains

• A summary of the Papua New Guinea National Intelligence Organization’s (NIO) informal inquiry about sightings of high-altitude, high-speed aircraft that reportedly frightened local residents in Wewak and prompted a public meeting attended by the Prime Minister.
• Multiple witness reports, including a credible account from an Air Niugini pilot whose radar detected a fast-moving, high-altitude aircraft near Angoram, and visual sightings of contrails from several locations, with inconsistent directional data (north-to-south and south-to-north).
• The U.S. Embassy’s assertion, based on its own records and communication with the 43rd Strategic Wing, that no B-52 overflights or other U.S. aircraft were in PNG airspace on January 24, along with a request for confirmation from USCINCPAC.
• The document was originally marked Limited Official Use and was later declassified and released in full under the AARO Collection Support Project.

Source: Cable text, pages 1–2; metadata indicates CSP-2025-00040, B-00002707027.

Key Observations

• “FAST-MOVING OBJECTS WITH LIGHTS, CONTRAILS, AND NOISE” were reported the night of January 24, 1985.
• An Air Niugini 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).”
• Visual sightings included “ONE AIRCRAFT MOVING NORTH TO SOUTH AT 1900 LOCAL AND OF SIX-EIGHT AIRCRAFT TRAVELING SOUTH TO NORTH AT 2200 LOCAL.”

Source: Page 2 of the cable.

Context & Significance

This cable is a routine diplomatic communication relaying a host-nation inquiry about possible territory violations; it illustrates how reports of “unidentified aerial phenomena” were occasionally conveyed through official channels during the Cold War. The document surfaced in the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office’s (AARO) collection effort, but it does not indicate any follow-up investigation or special interest in UAP.

Source: Document release markings and AARO’s Collection Support Project identifiers.

Evidence Assessment

What this document shows:

• The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby was aware of a cluster of sightings that included radar data and multiple visual witnesses, which caused local political concern.
• The U.S. government officially stated it had no military aircraft involved and sought verification from higher headquarters.

What this document does NOT show:

• No confirmation of extraterrestrial origin or technology.
• No definitive identification of the observed phenomena; the descriptions could be consistent with conventional aircraft, natural atmospheric events, or sensor errors.
• The document provides no technical analysis, resolution of the conflicting directional reports, or evidence of a broader pattern.

Assessment: This cable offers a contemporaneous, official record of a reported sighting event and the U.S. government’s initial response, but its evidentiary value for UAP studies is low to moderate. The information is secondhand, contradictory, and lacks any follow-up data to enable identification. Independent analysis should refer to the original document and any related PNG or U.S. military records.