The Robertson Panel, The Scientific Advisory Panel on Unidentified Flying Objects Convened by the CIA

Background

Background: In the early 1950s, a surge of UFO reports flooded into the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book, which was responsible for investigating these sightings. These reports garnered significant public and media attention, leading to concerns within the U.S. government. Some officials were worried that potential enemies could exploit the UFO phenomenon, either by using the public’s fascination with UFOs as a psychological weapon or by saturating communication channels with false reports during a real attack. This led the CIA to convene a panel of experts to examine the UFO issue.

The Robertson Panel: Convened in January 1953, the panel was chaired by Dr. H.P. Robertson, a physicist from the California Institute of Technology, hence the name “Robertson Panel”. The group included various other scientists, including experts in astrophysics, radar, and atmospheric optics.

The panel’s primary task was to review the UFO reports collected by Project Blue Book and assess the potential threat these reports might pose to national security.

Key Findings and Conclusions of the Robertson Panel:

1. No Direct Threat: After examining the evidence, the Robertson Panel concluded that UFOs did not appear to pose any direct threat to national security.
2. Explanation for Sightings: The panel believed that most UFO sightings could be easily explained as misidentifications of natural phenomena, man-made objects, or other ordinary occurrences. They were of the opinion that if these explanations were promoted and publicized, the number of unexplained sightings would significantly decrease.
3. Potential Indirect Threat: The panel did, however, express concerns about the indirect effects of UFO reports. Specifically, they were concerned that the Soviets might try to exploit the public’s interest in UFOs for propaganda purposes or that a deluge of UFO reports might overwhelm military communication channels in the event of a real threat.
4. Recommendations: The Robertson Panel made several recommendations:
   • Public Education: The U.S. government should engage in a public education campaign to demystify and debunk UFOs. This would reduce the hysteria and public concern around the phenomenon.
   • Monitoring: The panel suggested monitoring civilian UFO groups since they might be prone to manipulation by foreign powers.
   • Limit Reporting: They recommended that the Air Force reduce the priority of Project Blue Book and make efforts to strip UFOs of their mysterious aura. This also included a recommendation to reclassify some UFO reports to reduce public access.
5. Limitation of Examination: It’s worth noting that the panel spent only a very limited amount of time examining the evidence (about 12 hours over several days), and they did not conduct field investigations or speak directly with many of the primary witnesses.

Aftermath and Criticism: The recommendations of the Robertson Panel were adopted by the CIA and other governmental agencies. As a result, Project Blue Book adopted a more skeptical approach to UFO reports, and efforts were made to debunk sightings publicly.

Over the years, the Robertson Panel has been a source of controversy among UFO researchers and enthusiasts. Critics argue that the panel’s approach was dismissive and that their conclusions were preordained. They believe that the panel was more interested in dismissing the UFO phenomenon rather than seriously investigating it.

Regardless of one’s stance on the matter, the Robertson Panel played a significant role in shaping the U.S. government’s public stance on UFOs for many years.

Document Archive

2013 CIA Release: The Robertson Panel Report, January 14 – 18, 1953 [28 Pages, 1.8MB]

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Archived Releases

2001 CIA Release: The Robertson Panel Report, January 14 – 18, 1953 [28 Pages, 1.8MB]

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