Overview
JANAP 146 E (Joint Army-Navy Air Force Publication) is a U.S. military directive that formally classified the UFO phenomenon, mandating non-disclosure under penalty of a $10,000 fine and ten years in prison. The order was cited by Lieutenant Frederick Marshall Fox (USN, retired) as a binding operational constraint for pilots and aircrew during the 1960s, effectively suppressing public reporting of aerial anomalies.
Key Facts and Dates
- Issued: Late 1960s (exact date varies by archival copy).
- Scope: Applies to all branches of the U.S. military; covers visual and radar sightings, photographic evidence, and debriefing notes.
- Penalty: $10,000 fine + 10 years imprisonment for unauthorized disclosure.
- Enforcement: AFOSI actively monitored personnel; pilots who spoke publicly faced ridicule, reassignment, or court-martial threats.
Relationships to Other Entities
- disclosure-project-briefing-document — Testimonies frequently reference JANAP 146 E as the legal basis for decades of secrecy.
- classification-systems-overview — Illustrates how military publications enforced information control alongside executive order classification tiers.
- unacknowledged-special-access-programs — Complements SAP protocols by maintaining a standing non-disclosure mandate for routine sightings.
Source References
- Testimony of Lt. Frederick Marshall Fox (Sep 2000)
- Historical military publication archives (JANAP series)