| The 1976 Tehran UFO Incident was a radar and | | | | object. The main object then flew away at |
| visual sighting of an unidentified flying object (UFO) | | | | several times the speed of sound, according to a |
| over Tehran, the capital of Iran. The incident is | | | | voice tape from one of the pilots. |
| particularly notable for the electromagnetic | | | | Once again, as soon as the F-4 had turned away, |
| interference effects on aircraft near the UFO. | | | | instrumentation and communications were |
| Two F-4 jet interceptors independently lost | | | | regained. The F-4 crew then saw another brightly |
| instrumentation and communications as they | | | | lit object detach itself from the other side of the |
| approached, only to have these restored when | | | | primary object and drop straight down at a high |
| they left. One F-4 also lost its weapons systems | | | | rate of speed. The F-4 crew expected it to |
| when it was about to fire on the object. The | | | | impact the ground and explode, but it came to |
| incident is well-documented in a U.S. Defense | | | | rest gently. The F-4 crew then overflew the site |
| Intelligence Agency (DIA) report with a distribution | | | | at a decreased altitude and marked the position |
| list that included the White House, Secretary of | | | | of the light's touchdown. Then they landed at |
| State, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security | | | | Mehrabad, noting that each time they passed |
| Agency (NSA), and Central Intelligence Agency | | | | through a magnetic bearing of 150 degrees from |
| (CIA). Various high Iranian military officers directly | | | | Mehrabad, they experienced interference and |
| involved with the events have also gone on public | | | | communications failure. |
| record stating their belief the object was an | | | | A civilian airliner that was approaching Mehrabad |
| extraterrestrial craft. | | | | also experienced a loss of communications at the |
| The incident | | | | same position relative to Mehrabad. As the F-4 |
| At about 12:30 AM on September 19th, 1976, an | | | | was on final approach, they sighted yet another |
| unusual incident occurred over Tehran, Iran. | | | | object, cylinder-shaped, with bright, steady lights |
| The Imperial Iranian Air Force command post at | | | | on each end and a flashing light in the middle. The |
| Tehran received four telephone reports from | | | | object overflew the F-4. Mehrabad tower |
| citizens in the Shemiran (a district in the north of | | | | reported no other aircraft in the area, but tower |
| Tehran). Some of the callers reported seeing a | | | | personnel were able to see the object when |
| bird-like object in the sky, while others reported a | | | | given directions by the F-4 pilot. Years later, the |
| helicopter with a bright light. | | | | main controller and an investigating general |
| When the command post found that there were | | | | revealed that the object also overflew the control |
| no helicopters airborne at that time, they called | | | | tower and knocked out all of its electronic |
| General Yousefi, assistant deputy commander of | | | | equipment as well (see below). |
| operations. General Yousefi at first said the object | | | | The next day, the F-4 crew flew out in a |
| was only a star, but after talking to the tower at | | | | helicopter to the site where they had seen the |
| Mehrabad Airport, he looked for himself and saw | | | | smaller object land. In the daylight, it was |
| a very bright object larger than a star. At that | | | | determined to be a dry lake bed, but no traces |
| point he decided to scramble one F-4 Phantom jet | | | | could be seen. They then circled the area to the |
| from Shahrokhi Air Force Base in Hamadan. | | | | west and picked up a noticeable "beeper" signal. |
| At 0130 hours, the F-4 took off and proceeded | | | | The signal was loudest near a small house, so |
| to a point 40 nautical miles north of Tehran. It | | | | they landed and questioned the occupants of the |
| was noted that the object was of such brilliance | | | | house about any unusual events of the previous |
| that it could be seen up to 70 miles away. When | | | | night. They reported a loud noise and a bright light |
| the F-4 came to within about 25 nautical miles of | | | | like lightning. |
| the object, the jet suddenly lost all | | | | Further investigation of the landing site, including |
| instrumentation and communications. The pilot | | | | radiation testing of the area was apparently done, |
| broke off the intercept and turned away. When | | | | but the results were never made public. Since this |
| the F-4 had turned back toward Shahrokhi, the | | | | event occurred before the fall of the Shah, any |
| aircraft regained instrumentation and | | | | records in Tehran itself may be lost. |
| communication. | | | | D.I.A. form |
| At 0140 hours, a second F-4 was scrambled, | | | | Alongside the report there was a form from the |
| piloted by Lieutenant Jafari and it acquired a radar | | | | DIA which assessed the quality of the report. The |
| lock on the object at 27 nautical miles range. The | | | | form indicated in checked boxes that the content |
| radar signature of the UFO resembled that of a | | | | was of high value, that the report was confirmed |
| Boeing 707 aircraft. Closing on the object at 150 | | | | by other sources, and that the utility of the |
| nautical miles per hour and at a range of 25 | | | | information was potentially useful to them. The |
| nautical miles, the object began to move, keeping | | | | form from the DIA also stated the following: |
| a steady distance of 25 nautical miles from the | | | | "An outstanding report. This case is a classic which |
| F-4. The size of the object was difficult to | | | | meets all the criteria necessary for a valid study |
| determine due to its intense brilliance. The lights of | | | | of the UFO phenomenon: |
| the object were alternating blue, green, red, and | | | | a) The object was seen by multiple witnesses |
| orange, and were arranged in a square pattern. | | | | from different locations (i.e., Shamiran, Mehrabad, |
| The lights flashed in sequence, but the flashing | | | | and the dry lake bed) and viewpoints (both |
| was so rapid that they all could be seen at once. | | | | airborne and from the ground). |
| While the object and the F-4 continued on a | | | | b) The credibility of many of the witnesses was |
| southerly path, a smaller second object detached | | | | high (an Air Force general, qualified aircrews, and |
| itself from the first and advanced on the F-4 at a | | | | experienced tower operators). |
| high rate of speed. Lieutenant Jafari thinking to be | | | | c) Visual sightings were confirmed by radar. |
| under attack, tried to launch an AIM-9 sidewinder | | | | d) Similar electromagnetic effects (EME) were |
| missile, but he suddenly lost all instrumentation, | | | | reported by three separate aircraft. |
| including weapons control, and all communication. | | | | e) There were physiological effects on some |
| The F-4 pilot then instituted a turn and a negative | | | | crew members (i.e., loss of night vision due to the |
| G dive as evasive action. The object fell in behind | | | | brightness of the object). |
| him at about 3 to 4 nautical miles distance for a | | | | f) An inordinate amount of maneuverability was |
| short time, then turned and rejoined the primary | | | | displayed by the UFOs." |