"OPREP-3" - A Classified US Military Reporting
Channel For UFO Incidents?
Part 1
While going through the officially declassified and release that relate to the spooky 1975 US/Canadian border Northern Tier “over flights”, as well as other 1970’s–era UFO cases, I noticed a specific term repeatedly appearing in the documents that piqued my interest. The term was “OPREP–3”, sometimes followed by the terms “PINNACLE”, “BEELINE” or “NAVY BLUE”. Upon further study of statements of American military doctrine – both old and new – it became quickly apparent that these terms refer to a specific type of “operational reporting” system used by the US Armed Force. “OPREP” means “Operational Report”, and “3” refers to a category meaning “Event/Incident Report”. There are dozens of available publications that detail the OPREP–3 process. One such publication, promulgated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), is an Instruction dated 1st of December, 1993, titled “Joint Reporting Structure Event and Incident Reports”. Page 1 establishes:
“The OPREP–3 reporting system… …is used by military unites at any level of command to report significant events and incidents to the highest levels of command.”
Another publication, titled “Air Force Instruction 10–206 Operational Reporting” (AFI 10–206), and promulgated by the Secretary of the United States Air Force (SEC–USAF) on 15th October, 2008, states in Chapter 3:
“Command Posts use the OPREP–3s to immediately notify commanders of any significant event or incident that rises to the level of DoD, AF, or MAJCOM interests. Submit the applicable OPREP–3 regardless of whether or not the event is being reported through other channels.”
This was unusual, in that we had been led to believe that, after the closure of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) Project Blue Book, no reporting channels, except the “Communications Instructions for Vital Intelligence Sightings”(CIRVIS) system, and the “Air Force Reporting System” (AFOREP) channel, were to be used for UFO reporting in the USA. Even knowledge of those was kept reasonably quiet. But, as we shall see, there is irrefutable, documented evidence that OPREP–3’s, were being used to report UFOs to higher commands.
On the night of May 14, 1978, the United States Navy’s (USN) Pinecastle Electronic Warfare Range endured a very unusual incident. A UFO was both visually sighted and tracked by primary radar. It was reported as displaying red, green, and white lights, and was accompanied by no sound. Also, the UFO apparently took evasive action when there was an attempt to lock radar on the object. When records relating to the case were released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), even the Public Affairs officer, N. P. Young, stationed at Jacksonville Naval Air Station (NAS Jacksonville), who processed the records, had this to say about the incident:
“I have never been a believer in UFOs, but I assure you I am convinced that a number of people witnessed an unexplainable event that night.”.
Five pages of records were released relating to the incident, including a two page telex sent from NAS Jacksonville to the Commander–in–Chief of the USN’s Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANFLT) at Norfolk, Virginia. Classified CONFIDENTIAL, one line states:
“NAS JACKSONVILLE /OPREP–3 NAVY BLUE 1718002 MAY 78/006”
Note the term “OPREP–3”. Further, beneath this line, the telex reads:
“REPORTS OF UFO DISPLAYING RED, GREEN AND WHITE LIGHTS”
Two more lines down the telex states:
“INITIAL REPORTED UFO SIGHTING BY TWO UNIDENTIFIED CIVILIANS”
Note the term “UFO” is openly used here. This is indisputable proof that a UFO event, of some sort, caused the sending of an OPREP–3 to the CINCLANFLT. I have imaged the page below.
For clarity, I have clipped the section of the above page, showing the reference to “OPREP–3” and two usages of the term “UFO”.
Three years before this incident, a far more serious succession of still unsolved events took place all the way along the northern border of the USA and Canada. For a full week, sensitive US and Canadian military bases were intruded upon by a confusing blend of unidentified aircraft, helicopters and unusual objects. These craft seemed to principally focus their unannounced flight regimes near, or above, nuclear missile and nuclear bomb storage sites. None of this was rumour or innuendo. The information came primarily from hundreds of documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by researchers Barry Greenwood and Lawrence Fawcett, and the events were fully revealed in their 1984 book “Clear Intent”, later published with the title “UFO Cover Up: What the Government Won’t Say”.
Contained in a 1 November, 1975 telex, which was sent to the National Military Command Center (NMCC) in Washington DC, from the Command Post at nuclear weapon–equipped Loring Air Force Base, Maine, are a number of very curious lines of text. The telex was classified CONFIDENTIAL, and was sent with “IMMEDIATE” precedence.
“JOPREP JIFFY 0092/FFDPO0/IN/OPREP–3 PINNACLE”
Further down, the message says:
“…A VISUAL SIGHTING OF AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT WAS REPORTED AT LORING CRC 4NM NNW OF LORING AFB.”
Below is the image.
As the above document is not easy to read. For clarity, I have clipped the two sections of the above page to make absolutely clear that the terms “OPREP–3” and “UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT” are used. Like the NAS Jacksonville telex, this is documented proof that an unidentified object behaving oddly above the nuclear storage igloos at Loring caused enough concern that this OPREP–3 report was issued.
While the these mysterious intrusions were occurring, repeatedly, at Loring AFB, similar events were taking place on the 30th Oct, 1975, at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan. A National Military Command Center (NMCC) “Memorandum for Record”, dated 31st October, 1975, states in the subject line:
“Low Flying Aircraft/Helicopter Sightings at Wurtsmith AFB, MI.”
It goes on to say,
“1. The SAC Command Post notified the NMCC of reported low flying aircraft/helicopter sightings at Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan at 302342 EST.”
And
“2. The attached OPREP–3s give a summary of the reported sightings.”
The memorandum was signed by Brig. Gen. Donald M. Davis, Deputy Director for Operations, NMCC, and is imaged below.
For clarity I have snipped the term “OPREP–3” below.
Accompanying the above memorandum is the actual OPREP–3 that was transmitted from Wurtsmith AFB to the NMCC. Dated 30th October, 1975 it describes the penetration of the base area by at least one, and probably two, unknown helicopters. This event also constituted a serious violation of the secure “no fly” airspace near the nuclear weapons storage area. The helicopter(s), or whatever they were, were plotted on the base’s Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) primary radar, as well as seen visually from the cockpit of a KC–35 aerial refueling tanker aircraft, assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC). The term “OPREP–3 REPORT” is printed at the extreme top of the document, though it has been cropped off by poor reproduction during the release of these records. This document is imaged below.
Note at the very top of the page, the word “OPREP–3” is visible, if half chopped off by poor reproduction during the release of these records. For clarity, I have provided a clipped image below for close–up scrutiny.
Another document, imaged below, concerning this event provides additional detail. The term “OPREP–3” is once again visible – so there is no question of its applicability to this event. The line states:
“UNCLASSIFIED JOPREP JIFFY OC65 /FFD640/IN/OPREP-3 BEELINE/7 6-02 1-01”
Again, for clarity, I have provided a clipped image below for close–up scrutiny.
“The SAC Senior Controller notified the NMCC… …of unidentified low-flying aircraft/helicopter sightings at Wurtsmith AFB, MI… …RAPCON showed several objects on radar at the same time. A tanker was dispatched to the area and obtained both visual and radar skin paint of two aircraft. Both aircraft had lights on initially but appeared to turn them off simultaneously. (SOURCE: OPREP-3 302327)”
Again, for clarity, I have provided a clipped image below for close–up scrutiny.
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These OPREP–3 reportable events were not just occurring at Loring and Wurtsmith AFB’s. During the same period, sightings of what were specifically described as “unidentified flying objects” and “UFOs” at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. The reports concerned simultaneous radar contact and visual reports of one to multiple objects with a bright light or groups of bright lights once again intruding into secure weapons storage sites.. Though these events didn’t create an OPREP–3 report, dozens of records were create at both Malmstrom AFB Command Post and the NMCC. One of these was a 8 November, 1975 NMCC “DDO UPDATE”, or, “DDO Talker”. The subject title says “UFO SIGHTINGS”, and the main message reads, in part:
These OPREP–3 reportable events were not just occurring at Loring and Wurtsmith AFB’s. During the same period, sightings of what were specifically described as “unidentified flying objects” and “UFOs” at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. The reports concerned simultaneous radar contact and visual reports of one to multiple objects with a bright light or groups of bright lights once again intruding into secure weapons storage sites.. Though these events didn’t create an OPREP–3 report, dozens of records were create at both Malmstrom AFB Command Post and the NMCC. One of these was a 8 November, 1975 NMCC “DDO UPDATE”, or, “DDO Talker”. The subject title says “UFO SIGHTINGS”, and the main message reads, in part:
“From 080253 EST Nov 75 to 080420 EST Nov 75, Malmstrom AFB MT and four SAC sites reported a series of visual and radar contacts with unidentified flying objects. Several reports from the same locations included jet engine sounds associated with the observed bright lights. Two interceptors scrambled from 24th NORAD Region failed to make contact with the UFO’s.”
“The UFO sightings occurred on an extremely clear night. Visibility was 45 miles. Although northern lights will cause phenomena similar to the received reports, weather services indicated no possibility of northern lights during the period in question. (SOURCE: NMCC 080600 EST NOV 75.)”
I have imaged this document below.
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So the US military has a robust, classified channel which was used in the past for reporting serious UFO events… Does it really matter? To serious UFO researchers, plus anyone interested in national security, it should matter a lot. A mystery within the UFO community has been what happened to UFO investigations after Project Blue Book ended. The cancelling of two 1960’s–era regulations, namely “Air Force Regulation 200–2, Reporting of Unidentified Flying Objects” (AFR 200–2) and its short–lived successor “Air Force Regulation 80–17, Unidentified Flying Objects” (AFR 80–17), left only two known military reporting channels for UFO events. One was the well–worn “Communications Instructions for Vital Intelligence Sightings”(CIRVIS) procedures. The lesser known system was the “Air Force Operational Reporting System” (AFOREP), which was first promulgated in “Air Force Manual 55–11 Operations – Air Force Operational Reporting System” (AFM 55–11)
Frustratingly, researchers have not been able to access records from either of these two systems, despite the fact some of the reports are now over forty years old.
And now, we find that at some time in the 1970’s, the OPREP–3 system apparently became the channel of choice – a third channel for UFO reporting – for very serious events. It goes without saying that there could potentially be a huge number of OPREP–3 records that contain disturbing, unsolvable UFO events, especially near US military installations.
In Part 2 of this series, I will discuss the OPREP–3 system at greater length, including the flag words “PINNACLE”, “BEELINE” or “NAVY BLUE”, and a new term called “JOPREP JIFFY”. I will also detail my, and colleague David Charmichael’s, efforts to obtain current OPREP–3 records straight from the Office of the Secretary of Defence (OSD) and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), plus a mysterious letter sent to UK researcher Dr. Armen Victorian in the 1990’s.