Sydney: Documents prepared in 1983 and released now after 29 years, have revealed that two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Mirage fighter jets intercepted UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) back then.

The papers stamped ``restricted``tell how operation ``Close Encounter`` was launched by No.3 Control and Reporting Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle on June 30, 1983, after the phenomenon was first noticed earlier in the month.

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The Mirage jets were placed on the second highest level of alert to determine the cause of unidentified radar contacts seen on screens at Mascot.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, senior air controllers at Mascot said the contacts were mostly located between 70 and 150 nautical miles north of Sydney at ``alleged speeds of 1100-6500 km/h that suggested high altitude``.

The papers stated that no scramble was to occur in the round-the-clock operation unless confirmation of any reported tracks was made on the radar screens at RAAF Williamtown or any radar other than Sydney.
A constable from the local police station, who visited the site saw depressions in the ground and thought a motorcyclist doing donuts caused them, but then dismissed the idea.

“I strongly feel this [is] no hoax even though I do not know the cause of this ``feature``,” he wrote.

He described a large circle of 2330mm in diameter with one inner circle of 2010mm which were 160mm in width and about 15-20 mm deep, while the soil around the outer circle appeared to have been ``blown away``, the paper said.

Another constable, who made a similar sighting, was also of the opinion that it wasn`t a normal aircraft, the paper added.
ANI