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Ethiopia Launches Sky Wing Industry: Aiming for Drone Export and Enhanced Defence Capabilities
March 10, 2025
Ethiopia has officially entered on March 8 the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing market with the inauguration of Sky Wing Industry, a company focused on producing drones for both commercial and military applications.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his pride in the nation’s ability to design and produce advanced drones locally, noting that just a few years ago, such a feat seemed impossible.
While the drones are primarily aimed at bolstering Ethiopia’s sovereignty and defence, the Prime Minister also highlighted the potential for international exports, marking a significant leap forward in Ethiopia’s technological capabilities.
The drones, which are designed to operate efficiently at high altitudes, come equipped with advanced counter-drone technology to safeguard against airborne threats.
They are also powered by artificial intelligence (AI), which enhances their operational efficiency and adaptability.
Capable of performing a range of tactical tasks, from offensive and defensive operations to surveillance and intelligence gathering, these drones are versatile instruments that aim to strengthen Ethiopia’s national security and defence sector.
Prime Minister Abiy further emphasized that the development of Ethiopia’s drone technology, alongside advancements in other areas like the Homicho Ammunition Engineering Industry, is not intended to fuel conflict but rather to prevent it.
He urged continued research and collaboration between local organizations to drive further progress in the field.
With the launch of Sky Wing Industry, Ethiopia positions itself as a growing player in the global drone market, aiming to both secure its own borders and tap into international demand for cutting-edge drone technology.
https://medafricatimes.com/39165-ethiopia-launches-sky-wing-industry-aiming-for-drone-export-and-enhanced-defence-capabilities.html
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/former-science-minister-appointed-as-innovative-regulation-chair-to-bring-game-changing-tech-like-drone-medicine-deliveries-to-the-public-faster
Former Science Minister appointed as innovative regulation Chair to bring game-changing tech like drone medicine deliveries to the public faster
10 March 2025
Former government minister Lord Willetts has been appointed the first Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to lead a team focused on bringing emerging technologies like drones delivering medicines or AI training software for surgeons to market quickly and safely to improve lives.
To kick off his new role, Lord Willetts visited Guy’s Hospital in London with Science Minister Lord Vallance to see firsthand how drones are transforming healthcare logistics.
Drones are already cutting blood delivery times from 30 minutes to just 2 minutes, speeding up testing turnaround times to improve NHS productivity.
British start-up Apian, founded by NHS doctors, works with global drone company Wing to fly blood samples from Guy’s to Synnovis’ lab at St Thomas’ Hospital for urgent testing.
This rapid turnaround service supports some of their most vulnerable patients, ensuring they have the best possible care.
This life-saving technology could soon be used more widely across the NHS – making faster, more efficient care a reality for patients across the country, supporting the government’s Plan for Change mission to capitalise on the scientific and technological revolution happening around us to improve outcomes and save lives.
Lord Willetts’ work as Chair of RIO will help accelerate the rollout of drones and other autonomous vehicles to transform other industries, from faster package delivery through to groceries and takeaways being delivered to your door.
Drones have huge potential, with a PwC report predicting they could contribute up to £45 billion to the UK economy by 2030 if it was adopted to its full potential (1).
The RIO will also support three other fast-growing areas of technology: engineering biology, space, and AI in healthcare – potentially enabling a raft of new life-changing innovations like drought tolerant crops strengthening food security to AI-enabled cancer diagnoses.
The RIO was launched in October 2024 to cut red tape which unnecessarily impedes on new technologies coming to market and stunts growth, instead pivoting to a streamlined and pro-innovation environment which allows people across the UK to reap the real, positive impact of new tech safely and sooner, in turn supporting our Plan for Change.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:
Lord Willetts brings the expertise and leadership experience that will be key to streamlining innovation and unapologetically unleash the innovation that we know can improve lives.
By shaping regulatory approaches in key sectors - from drones that could deliver everything from groceries to medicines through to AI-powered tools speeding up NHS diagnoses – the Regulatory Innovation Office will be a central thread running through this government’s mission to improve lives, create jobs, and drive the economic growth across the country that is central to our Plan for Change.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
There are huge possibilities out there in everything from medical technology to life sciences. Britain should be at the forefront of this technological revolution.
The only way to achieve that is to move our analogue NHS into the digital age, embrace innovation, and scrap unnecessary regulation holding us back.
Our Plan for Change will make our NHS fit for the future, harnessing groundbreaking moves like drone medical goods deliveries, so we can provide the best possible care for patients.
Lord Willetts brings a wealth of experience in science policy, regulation, and leadership to the post.
As Minister for Universities and Science from 2010 to 2014, Lord Willetts championed the ‘Eight Great Technologies,’ securing £600 million in government support for high-potential sectors (2), including space, synthetic biology, and autonomous systems.
Lord Willetts has also served on the boards of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the UK Space Agency for over eight years, taking a leading role in supporting innovation and appreciating the value of new technologies in furthering UK science and technology.
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The appointment comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary addressing Tech UK today (10 March) on plans to drive a decade of innovation with our Industrial Strategy – laying out a vision for 2035 where technology is a force for good in people’s lives.
He will outline the government’s commitment to backing innovators over blockers, enabling game-changing technologies of the future that will improve lives across the UK, giving business the confidence and support they need to invest in R&D that can grow the economy.
From quantum scanners that could detect diseases like dementia earlier to super-fast internet access in the most remote reaches of Britain, he will set out how the government will support businesses to create jobs, grow communities, and develop innovations that transform everyday life.
Lord Willetts said:
I am honoured to take on this role at a pivotal time for the UK’s innovation landscape.
The Regulatory Innovation Office has an exciting opportunity to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies, and I look forward to working alongside the team to deliver real change and support the UK’s position as a global leader in science and technology.
CEO of Apian Alexander Trewby said:
Today marks our 2,000th drone-delivered blood sample, proving how innovation is transforming NHS operations and accelerating patient care.
With RIO clearing regulatory roadblocks, we’re scaling autonomous logistics across healthcare and driving economic growth through faster, more efficient services.
This is the kind of innovation that our partners, like Synnovis, value as they process 30 million tests annually across their hub and broader network.
The government is also today announcing Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund.
This Fund, opening in April, will help innovators understand and tackle regulatory barriers in transformative innovations – so that emerging products are brought to market more quickly, safely and cost-effectively.
This will drive growth in sectors ranging from fuels and food to health and the environment, contributing to the Government missions on economic growth, public health, and clean energy.
This will build on the work from the winning project from Round 1 of the Fund, which officially launches today, funded previously by DSIT and run by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland.
The two-year programme will inform new regulatory processes for cell-cultivated products - like cell-cultivated meat – such as meat grown from animal cells in a lab environment.
Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) said:
The UK’s world-class strength in engineering biology and AI is a unique opportunity to drive economic growth and deliver innovative products that improve all our lives, from reducing the carbon footprint of food to better targeting medicines.
Regulation when done right can be a true enabler of innovation. The BIA has been closely involved in the development of this new approach to engineering biology through the Regulatory Horizons Council and the Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel.
We congratulate Lord Willetts in his new role leading the RIO, and look forward to working with him to drive real progress and ensure that great British innovations reach the public faster, for the benefit of society and the economy.
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Ukrainian Drones Strike Industrial Site in Russia’s Samara Region
March 10, 2025
Ukrainian drones attacked an industrial facility in southern Russia’s Samara region, authorities said early Monday, as Ukrainian officials claimed the target of the attack was a Rosneft oil refinery.
Samara region Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said three drones had been “eliminated” in the city of Novokuibyshevsk, where there were no damages or fires from the attack. “It was a failure,” he wrote on social media.
However, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said its firefighters were battling a blaze that broke out following the incident.
Videos shared by the ministry showed crews battling flames and heavy smoke inside a large warehouse.
Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andriy Kovalenko said the attack targeted the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery, which has an annual capacity of up to 8.8 million metric tons and plays a “strategic” role in supplying fuel for Russian military operations.
Petro Andryushchenko, a former adviser to the mayor of Mariupol who has since reported regularly on Ukrainian attacks in Russia, said the drone strike took place at around 1:45 a.m. local time.
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery, operated by the state-owned oil giant Rostneft, briefly halted operations following Ukrainian drone strikes last March.
Russia’s military said its air defense forces shot down or intercepted three drones over the Samara region and six over the Voronezh, Oryol, Belgorod and Kursk region overnight.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil depots and refineries, aiming to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military. Kyiv views these strikes as retaliation for Moscow’s bombardment of Ukrainian cities and its energy grid.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/03/10/ukrainian-drones-strike-industrial-site-in-russias-samara-region-a88298
https://t.me/astrapress/76136
Ukraine Deploys Drone Torpedo Carriers in the Black Sea
9 March, 2025
Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles have been outfitted with torpedoes or smaller kamikaze drones to strike surface targets in the Black Sea.
Several Russian “military correspondents” shared a video showcasing the use of such a drone.
According to their reports, the video was captured during an attack by Ukrainian maritime drones on gas production infrastructure in the Black Sea.
In the video, the Ukrainian naval drone appears to launch either a smaller drone or a light torpedo at the target before turning back.
Unfortunately, the video quality does not allow for a precise determination of the exact type of munition used.
According to Russian propagandists, the weapon was reportedly carried by a Magura-Venom unmanned surface vehicle, which is said to be equipped with twin MANPADS and two machine guns.
However, no verifiable information about the existence of such a drone has been found in the public domain.
At the same time, the statement was accompanied by a graphic image of a KATRAN “VENOM” unmanned surface vehicle.
However, the drone captured in the video displays notable design differences from the illustration. As a result, it remains unclear which naval drone was actually modified.
Evolution of Ukrainian maritime drones
Since their first use in the Black Sea in June 2023, Ukrainian maritime drones have evolved from conventional kamikaze drones filled with explosives to multifunctional, reusable unmanned surface vehicles.
Drones equipped with naval mines, machine guns, unguided rockets, surface-to-air missiles, and even maritime drones with FPV drones have already been successfully deployed.
As previously reported, the United Kingdom is developing Wasp and Snapper maritime drones to support Ukrainian capabilities in the Black Sea.
The Ministry of Defense also published technical requirements for the munitions, including an 80 kg high-explosive (HE) warhead, a range of 80-100 km, and the ability to attack both surface and coastal targets.
Additionally, the integration of machine guns, man-portable air defense systems, and longer-range missiles will be considered. Initially, production of 2-3 vessels per month is expected within six months of the order.
The purchase of new drones is due to begin in the first quarter of 2025, with the simultaneous procurement of hundreds of munitions to be tested in late 2025 and early 2026.
At the same time, Ukraine is developing other types of maritime drones, including Toloka underwater drones.
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukraine-deploys-drone-torpedo-bombers-in-the-black-sea/
Launching Taiwan’s drone industry a top priority: Foreign Minister
10 March, 2025
Taiwan has proven to the world that it is an indispensable partner in the democratic supply chain, according to Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in a recent interview with Japanese media.
Lin says that as an important weapon for national defense, launching Taiwan’s drone industry is a top priority.
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene spoke to the Liberty Times, saying everything the U.S. does in Taiwan is to make Taiwan stronger, safer, and more prosperous, and highlighting the democratic supply chain in areas such as drones and robotics.
A delegation of 26 drone company executives and U.S. government officials visited Taiwan in September last year, after which Lin led a delegation to Lithuania’s Drone Industry Business Forum in November.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) says these are the ministry’s efforts to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with democratic partners in the drone industry and match business opportunities.
The U.S. and Taiwan additionally signed an international development cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) in February 2024 to explore cooperation in areas including health care, women’s empowerment, information and communications technology, agriculture, climate, energy, small and medium-sized enterprises, and infrastructure.
The MOU was signed by Representative to the U.S. Ambassador Alexander Tay-ray Yui and American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Ingrid Larson in Washington, D.C., witnessed by U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and U.S. State Department representatives.
Hsiao says Foreign Minister Lin is using comprehensive diplomacy to strengthen economic and trade ties with global partners to prove to the world that Taiwan is an indispensable partner in the democratic supply chain.
He underscored that Taiwan will continue sharing its experience with like-minded countries to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the drone industry.
https://en.rti.org.tw/news/view/id/2012581
Drone attacks killing hundreds of civilians across Africa, says report
Last modified on Mon 10 Mar 2025 03.04 EDT
Almost 1,000 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in military drone attacks across Africa as the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles continues unchecked on the continent, according to a report.
At least 50 separate deadly strikes by armed forces in Africa have been confirmed during the three years up to November 2024, with analysts describing a “striking pattern of civilian harm” with little or no accountability.
Although the rapid growth of armed drones deployed by Ukraine and Russia receives significant scrutiny, scant focus is being paid to the escalating use in Africa of a new breed of imported cheaper drones, such as Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2, said Cora Morris of campaign group Drone Wars UK, which on Monday published a report on the growth of armed drones in Africa, called Death on Delivery.
“This must change. Unless the international community moves rapidly towards developing and implementing a new control regime, we are highly likely to see more examples of the killing of civilians from the use of armed drones,” said Morris.
So far, the use of armed drones has been confirmed in at least six conflicts in Africa: Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, where most attacks were seen.
Drone strikes by the Ethiopian armed forces against adversaries such as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front were found to have killed more than 490 civilians in 26 separate attacks.
Elsewhere, at least 64 civilians died in nine separate drone strikes conducted by Malian armed forces battling separatist groups in the north of the country.
In neighbouring Burkina Faso, researchers found more than 100 civilians have been killed in drone strikes carried out by the country’s military.
The Drone Wars UK report said the failure to control the proliferation of armed drones in Africa had led to more than 940 civilians being killed since November 2021, a figure it described as conservative.
Most armed drones in Africa are imported from Turkey, along with China and Iran, with researchers sounding the alarm over the growing popularity of “medium altitude, long endurance” (MALE) drones.
These can be flown remotely for many hours over a large distance, conducting surveillance as well as airstrikes.
The proliferation – and risks – of armed drones in African conflicts has been witnessed in Sudan’s civil war with their use in highly populated areas such as markets in the capital, Khartoum, having “grave” consequences for civilians. Iranian, Chinese and Turkish drones have been deployed by the Sudanese military while its adversary – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – has used UAE-supplied drones, the report said.
In Burkina Faso, Bayraktar TB2s have been deployed by Burkinabè military forces in their struggle against a jihadist insurgency.
State-sponsored media regularly celebrated “neutralisations” of terrorists using what it described as sophisticated, precise drone technologies.
However, accounts from sources on the ground often yield a different narrative, pointing to frequently high civilian deaths.
One incident in the country’s Sahel region in August 2023, saw drones strike a market in the village of Bouro, killing at least 28 civilians.
The report said: “The Burkinabè government’s wholesale celebration of strikes like that on Bouro’s market rests upon a perception of drone warfare as an efficient, advanced development in the country’s military operations, signifying a technically sophisticated arsenal operated by a vigilant, effective government with a firm grip on its territories.
“However, on-the-ground research quickly reveals the falsity of this picture: exposing erratic bombings of innocent communities, which sow only further destruction and insecurity.”
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/mar/10/drone-attacks-killing-hundreds-of-civilians-across-africa-says-report
Fort Worth Sky High with First US City-Wide Commercial Drone Deliveries, Get Walmart Goodies by Air
March 10, 2025
Fort Worth has stepped into the future, becoming the first major US city to have a fully operational commercial drone delivery network.
Since last year, Walmart customers at the 8520 N. Beach St. location, and more recently at the 2401 Avondale Haslet Road store, have been experiencing the buzz of convenience with deliveries by drones from a company called Wing.
This innovative service also takes flight from a DoorDash-affiliated site at 4800 S. Hulen St., propelling the delivery of everyday essentials right to the doorsteps of the city's residents.
According to the City of Fort Worth, these airborne couriers have been zipping across the skies, carrying food, household necessities, and over-the-counter drugs directly to homes and businesses.
As this tech-forward approach to delivery scales up, Zipline gears up to join the aerial fleet in Fort Worth.
The city's Aviation System Director, Roger Venables, recently briefed the City Council on the municipality's regulatory capabilities over drone operators.
It turns out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tightly grips the reins of aviation safety and airspace management for drones much like it does for traditional manned aircraft at loftier heights.
The FAA limits drones to 400 feet above the ground and keeps them tethered to daylight hours, leaving state and local governments with a lean slice of regulatory power.
Delving into the nuts and bolts of these regulations, commercial drone operators must jump through several FAA hoops—from proving their drones can deftly dodge obstacles and other aircraft, to establishing a stable communication link between pilot and machine.
"Operators must provide documentation on pilot training, drone maintenance and inspection protocols," as reported by the City of Fort Worth.
They also need to meet all FAA certification processes and nods of approval. Texas law allows counties, municipalities, and joint boards to control certain aspects of drone operation, though with a tight leash, permitting only specific exceptions.
Cities find themselves at the helm of certain local concerns; they can steer the designation of takeoff and landing zones, as well as noise and privacy guidelines.
To get its drones off the ground at Walmart, Wing had to lay clear the flight plan, earmark an out-of-sight outdoor storage area, and make sure it was hidden from plain street view.
This initiative by Wing is poised to "minimize environmental impact" by reducing vehicular traffic, a smart turn for a city looking to merge expedience with eco-consciousness, as highlighted by City of Fort Worth.
https://hoodline.com/2025/03/fort-worth-sky-high-with-first-us-city-wide-commercial-drone-deliveries-get-your-walmart-goodies-by-air/
Russia beefs up air defenses to protect key infrastructure from drone attacks
2025-03-10 20:55 Last Updated At：22:37
Russia is strengthening its defenses against potential drone attacks by deploying advanced air defense systems and sophisticated electronic jamming technologies, aiming to safeguard key economic assets, especially critical infrastructure.
Recent reports indicate that drones have targeted important sites across Russia, including oil refineries and other major energy infrastructure.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), a Russian military expert explained that multiple layers of defense are in place to track and intercept incoming drones.
"Generally speaking, modern defense systems are quite effective against drones.
However, challenges arise when we don't know where the drones come from, what their flight paths are like, or what targets they aim at. As a result, the enemy occasionally sneak its way in.
Fortunately, the Russian Ministry of Defense is learning from its mistakes and reducing the damage caused every month," said Dmitry Kornev, a military expert and Editor-in-chief of Militaryrussia Online.
About the large nets erected around the premises of oil refineries, he explained that these barriers serve as a last line of defense, designed to intercept small drones before they reach critical targets.
"Yes, physical barriers can be effective against small, homemade drones. However, they're insufficient against more advanced threats like cruise missiles.
For those, strong air defense systems are needed," he said.
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/4642024-russia-beefs-up-air-defenses-to-protect-key-infrastructure-from-drone-attacks
New Doc With 30+ High-Ranking U.S. Officials Claims The Govt. Has Been Collecting UFOs Since The 1940s
March 10, 2025 10:55 am
The Age of Disclosure, a new documentary that recently premiered at the South by Southwest festival, speaking with 30-plus high-ranking officials who claim that the United States government has been working to collect UFOs since the 1940s. UFOs are now officially referred to as UAPs: unidentified anomalous phenomena.
According to 34 high-ranking government, military and intelligence officials that appear in The Age of Disclosure, which was directed by filmmaker Dan Farah, the United States government has been secretly attempting to capture and study UAPs since as early as 1947.
In addition to interviews with government officials, the documentary also claims to have evidence of “vehicles that appear to disobey the laws of physics, difficult-to-explain interference with American military activity and the bodies of intelligent, nonhuman beings.”
Farah told Variety that while he was able to get 34 officials on camera, there were about another ten who did not want to appear on camera out of fear of repercussions.
“Some high-level politicians were afraid of how it might taint their reputation or impact them politically.
And some intelligence officials legitimately believed that their lives would be in danger if they participated in the film,” Farah said the South by Southwest festival.
“After long conversations with their significant others, they decided it just wasn’t worth it. That was eye-opening for me.
The more you go down the rabbit hole, it becomes clear really fast that this 80-year cover-up of the truth has been enforced with threats.”
One of the more eye-opening aspects of the documentary is that it posits world governments are in a “secret war” to collect and reverse engineer alien technology, with one official saying that the first country to do so will “be the leader [of the world] for years to come,” comparing it to the “Manhattan project on steroids.”
https://brobible.com/culture/article/age-of-disclosure-34-high-ranking-officials-usa-collecting-ufos/
https://www.outkick.com/culture/age-of-disclosure-ufo-documentary-secret-claims
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/age-of-disclosure-interview-aliens-government-cover-up-1236332030/
https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/lifestyle/unfriendly-skies-the-extraordinary-flight-of-jal-1628-alaska-s-best-known-ufo-encounter/article_4e13f3fe-fb87-11ef-8f7b-4f1c8a76d45f.html
Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628, Alaska’s best known UFO encounter
March 9, 2025
November 17 of this year will mark the 39th anniversary of one of the best documented UFO cases ever, and it happened in the skies above Alaska.
Three UFOs played tag with Japan Air Lines (JAL) cargo flight 1628 for 50 minutes while they were visually observed by a sometimes terrified flight crew.
During the last 30 minutes the UFOs were tracked on military and civilian radar, and the entire encounter was verified by a high-level administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The incident received media coverage all over the world. Here’s what happened…
Japan Airlines Captain Kenju Terauchi was an ex-fighter pilot and senior airline pilot with more than 10,000 hours flight experience.
He was assigned to fly a Japan Airlines cargo flight from Paris to Reykjavik, Anchorage, and on to Tokyo.
On November 17, 5:09 pm Alaska time, the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center contacted JAL 1628, which at that time was about 104 miles northeast of Fort Yukon.
The flight controller asked the pilot to adjust his heading so the plane would pass south of Fort Yukon and Fairbanks. The copilot turned the plane to the left about 15 degrees.
Captain Terauchi, sitting on the left side of the cockpit, saw unidentified lights out his side window to the left and below.
He thought they were military planes and ignored them. After a few minutes he realized that these unidentified aircraft were pacing him.
Flight 1628 contacted the Anchorage Center twice in rapid succession and asked if there were any other aircraft in the area.
The Anchorage Center responded that there were no military aircraft, and ground radar did not show any aircraft other than Flight 1628.
Then the two lights began to move in an erratic manner. Terauchi recollected in his official report to the FAA, listed here below and edited for length and clarity:
The distance from the lights was far enough from us and we felt no immediate danger. I thought perhaps it is a UFO. The lights were still moving strangely.
Most unexpectedly two spaceships appeared [directly in front of the plane], shooting off lights. The inside cockpit shined brightly and I felt [the warmth of the UFO’s thrusters’] on my face.
Then, three to seven seconds later, the fire — like from jet engines — stopped and became a small circle of lights as they began to fly in level flight at the same speed as we were.
The middle of the body of the ship sparked an occasional stream of lights, like a charcoal fire. Its shape was a square, flying 500 feet to 1,000 feet in front of us, very slightly higher in altitude than us.
Its size was about the same size as the body of a DC-8 [similar in size to a Boeing 707].
It is impossible for any manmade machine to make a sudden appearance in front of a jumbo jet that is flying 910 kilometers per hour and to move along in a formation paralleling our aircraft.
But we did not feel threatened or in danger. Honestly, we were simply astounded. I have no idea why they came so close to us.
There was a pale white flat light in the direction where the ships flew away, [pacing us].
The Anchorage Center replied that they saw nothing on their radar. I set our digital weather radar distance to 20 miles, radar angle to horizon.
There it was, on the screen: a large, green, round object had appeared seven or eight miles away, in the direction of the object.
We arrived at the sky above the Eielson Air Force Base and Fairbanks. It was a clear night.
We were just above the bright city lights and we checked the pale white light behind us. There was a silhouette of a gigantic spaceship! We must get away quickly!
A terrified Captain Terauchi, in coordination with the Anchorage Center, attempted evasive maneuvers such as flying in a circle and changing altitude.
The gigantic UFO, later described by Terauchi as the size of two aircraft carriers, shadowed flight 1628 through all maneuvers.
Terauchi “wondered and feared as to their purpose.” Anchorage Center offered to scramble a military jet, but Captain Terauchi declined the offer fearing unintended consequences of a military confrontation with the UFO.
About that time a United Airlines passenger jet flew into the same air zone and was requested by the ATC to get a visual on the situation.
Terauchi reported, “When the United plane came by our side, the spaceship disappeared suddenly. The strange encounter ended 150 miles away from Anchorage.”
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In 1986, John Callahan was FAA Division Chief of the Accidents and Investigations Branch in Washington, DC. About a week after the JAL 1628 incident, he got an urgent call from Alaska.
Callahan’s recollections were recorded in an interview conducted circa 2000. His comments, too, are edited here for brevity and clarity.
I forgot who it was that called, but he says ‘We got a problem here. I don’t know what to tell the media. The whole [FAA] office is full of the media from Alaska.’ ‘[Callahan asks] What’s the problem?’
He says, ‘It’s that UFO!’ I said ‘what UFO?’ He says, ‘Well, last week, we had a UFO chase a 747 across the skies up here for about 30 minutes or so.’
I told him to get all that data together. I wanted all the [civilian and military] disks that they had and all the tapes that they had available — and flown overnight to the tech center where I’m sitting.
The military refused to send their tapes, but he got everything Anchorage Traffic Control had.
We told him that we wanted this room setup to be just like it was an Anchorage. And we wanted all that data to come to this scope [radar monitor], and we want to see everything the controller has seen.
We want to hear everything he heard. And we wanted it all tied together — the radar, the digital radar, and the sound.
When Callahan played the tapes, he heard a three-way conversation between Anchorage Air
Traffic Control (ATC), Elmendorf’s NORAD Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC), and Captain Terauchi of JAL 1628. He also played a tape of the ATC radar sightings on a scope.
Anchorage Air Traffic Control didn’t see the UFOs on their radar, but, based on their conversation, the military were clearly tracking the UFOs. Callahan explained:
The military controller has what they call height-finding radar, and they have long-range radar and short-range radar, so if they don’t catch it on one of their systems, they catch it on the other. Ours wouldn’t record it.
Details reported by the military controller indicated that the UFOs were traveling thousands of miles per hour as they maneuvered in the airspace around the 747. The military controller had one other surprise finding.
Near the end of the incident a United Airlines flight was diverted to observe the JAL flight.
By then, Captain Terauchi no longer saw the huge UFO, and the United Pilot did not see it either. Unbeknownst to both of them, the military radar clearly indicated that the UFO had tucked in out of sight behind the United Flight and had begun following it.
After sitting through the presentation, Callahan’s boss turned to him and said, “Don’t talk to anybody until I give you the ok.” The next day his boss set up a briefing.
According to Callahan,I brought all the people from the tech center. We went upstairs. We had all kinds of boxes of data that we handed them — printouts. It filled up the room.
They brought in three people from the FBI, three people from the CIA, and three people from Reagan’s scientific study team, and I don’t know who the rest of the people were, but they were all excited.
Callahan and his staff showed the assemblage everything they had, and answered a lot of technical questions.
When they got done, they actually swore all these other guys into, ‘This never took place. We never had this meeting, and this was never recorded.’
This was one of the guys from the CIA. I asked them at the time, ‘I don’t know why you’re saying this.
I mean, if there was something there and if it’s not the [then in development] Stealth Bomber, then you know it’s a UFO. And if it’s a UFO, why wouldn’t you want the people to know?’
He said if they come out and told the American public that they ran into a UFO out there, it would cause panic across the country.
So therefore, we can’t talk about it. And we’re taking all this data [They did, but Callahan had copies of everything in his office].
When they asked me what I thought, I told them that it looked like we had a UFO that was up there.
As far as I was concerned, Reagan’s science team were the ones that verified my own thoughts about it. They were very, very excited about the data.
They had said at that time that this was the was the only time — and they had used the words ‘a UFO’ — was ever recorded on radar for any length of time.
Epilogue: Within months of the incident Captain Terauchi was banished to a desk job because he had “embarrassed” the company.
He was fully reinstated a few years later. John Callahan retired from the FAA, became an industry consultant, and periodically recounted the true story of JAL flight 1628.
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Green Book director Peter Farrelly says he saw 'massive' UFO and it was like 'Star Wars'
Updated 13:30, 09 Mar 2025
Golden Globe-winning director Peter Farrelly has recounted a spine-tingling UFO sighting that took place on Halloween night in 1975, while driving home from the University of Rhode Island.
On an appearance on the Kevin Pollak Chat Show, the filmmaker behind the celebrated 2018 movie 'Green Book', starring Viggo Mortensen, narrated the daunting experience that unfolded at 3am.
Recalling the moment, he said: "All of a sudden, as it's coming up on us, suddenly, it's a massive thing.
"And it is a rectangular shape craft. I will say, okay, it's rectangular like, it's hard to say how big it is because you can't tell how high it is, but it seems to be a few hundred yards up."
He added, "Maybe it's 1000ft up – It's not that high, but it's rectangular shape and there's zillions of lights under it, and the lights are going back like sideways.
"I'm telling you, it's right out of Star Wars. You know, when you see the thing come over you and it just keeps going, and I'm looking up at it like 'what…' And I remember my legs…went weak.
"They were completely rubbery. "Like I remember pushing my foot on the gas and it was an effort – I literally lost all the blood in my leg somehow."
However, things took an unexpected turn when he heard a radio advert the following day, asking for anyone who had seen a UFO the previous night to call a specific number.
Peter called and enquired about the purpose of the ad, only to be told they were simply "taking a poll."
However, when he tried to call the same number two weeks later, he found it had been disconnected, reports the Mirror.
He said: "I listened to (that radio station) every morning at the same time.
"They never asked for that again, so I called that number two weeks later and it was a disconnected number."
Reflecting on the encounter 38 years later, he stated: "This thing still doesn't exist, this big rectangular thing with no sound, that cruises over.
"So, you know, I feel confident that it was an unidentified flying object, but whether it was from this planet or whatever, who knows."
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/green-book-director-peter-farrelly-31161878