Malmstrom AFB UFO Incident

On March 16, 1967, a UFO incident at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana resulted in something that shouldn’t have been possible: the simultaneous shutdown of ten nuclear missiles. The case represents the most significant documented intersection of UFOs and nuclear weapons.

The Incident

In the early morning hours, security personnel at the Oscar Flight missile site reported a pulsating, glowing red object hovering near the front gate. According to documented accounts:

• Guards observed a bright, red-orange oval object
• It hovered silently above the missile site
• The object departed at high speed

The Shutdown

What happened next terrified those monitoring the missiles:

• Within seconds, all ten Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missiles at Oscar Flight went offline
• The missiles registered “No-Go” status
• Multiple systems failed simultaneously
• This should have been technically impossible

The same morning, a similar event occurred at Echo Flight, where another ten missiles experienced failures. Twenty missiles in total were affected.

Investigation

The Air Force investigated extensively:

• Boeing engineers examined the systems
• No conventional explanation was found
• The simultaneous nature of failures ruled out coincidence
• No technical fault could cause such synchronized shutdown
• The official conclusion: cause unknown

Captain Robert Salas, the on-duty commander at Oscar Flight, later testified publicly about the event. He described receiving reports of the UFO from frightened guards immediately before the missiles failed.

Similar Incidents

The Malmstrom event wasn’t isolated:

• 1966-1975: Multiple nuclear installations reported UFO activity
• Minot AFB: Similar incidents with launch officers reporting UFOs
• Soviet Union: Reports emerged of identical incidents at Soviet missile sites
• UK: RAF Bentwaters (Rendlesham) involved nuclear weapons storage

A pattern emerged of UFO interest in nuclear facilities worldwide.

Witness Testimony

Multiple witnesses have spoken publicly:

• Robert Salas: Testified before Congress and the National Press Club
• Robert Jamison: Another launch officer who confirmed the events
• Security personnel: Multiple guards reported the UFO

The witnesses underwent official debriefings and were told not to discuss the events.

Declassification

Documents released through FOIA confirmed:

• UFO reports from the base that night
• The missile shutdowns occurred
• No conventional explanation was found
• The incidents were taken seriously at command level

Implications

The Malmstrom incident raised disturbing questions:

• How did the UFO disable missiles designed to resist electronic warfare?
• Why the interest in nuclear weapons?
• Was it a demonstration of capability?
• Are similar incidents still occurring?

The case remains one of the most significant in UFO history due to its implications for national security and the physical effects demonstrated.

Sources

• Malmstrom AFB UFO incident - Wikipedia
• Salas, Robert. “Faded Giant” (2005)