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