In 1957, a US Air Force crew was flying over Saudi Arabia. A blip appeared on the aircraft's targeting screen that the crew couldn't identify. It remained on the screen for about five to seven minutes.
The targeting screen is an in-flight display, not something the crew saw in the sky. The report states that the blip was smaller than a signal picked up from another American aircraft in the area. This comparison is almost all that was provided about its appearance.
In-Flight Blip
The aircraft was a B-52, a large American bomber. The crew reported a blip that appeared on their targeting screen. They didn't identify what the blip was, but continued to observe it for several minutes.
The report describes the event as follows: not an encounter with something seen outside the aircraft, but rather a signal received on a display. The report doesn't say what the crew did while the blip was present, or if it changed. It only provides the duration for which it was observed.
Smaller Than the Other Signal
Another B-52 aircraft was operating in the same area. According to the report, the blip identified by the first crew was smaller than the signal received from the other aircraft. The report does not provide measurements or further descriptions of either blip.
The document was intended to record initial information that intelligence personnel might use later. It documents what was reported at the time of the incident and does not present a full investigation. Therefore, the brief description and the comparison to the second aircraft are all the details that remain about the blip itself.
What Remains Unknown
The report does not explain what created the blip, nor does it offer possible explanations. It also notes that the description reflects the crew's impression at the time of the incident, and does not determine its source.
Several minutes on the screen, a blip smaller than that of another aircraft — and then no further details.
