USA PROBES MYSTERY CLOUD REPORTED OFF JAPAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R001900680008-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2003
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: May 12, 1984
• Content Type: NSPR

/U5A probes mystery cloud
reported off Japan
By -Derek Wood
AMERICAN EXPERTS are investigating a mystery cloud, possibly resulting
from some form of explosion, which caused an airline pilot to call for an
emergency course deviation over the Pacific last month.
On 9 April at 1409 GMT, a Japanese
Airlines Boeing 747 freighter en route
Tokyo-Anchorage, at ? 33 000, ft,
encountered the phenoinenon'370 km. east
of Miyako on the coast-,.of ;}Ionshu.";The
captain, aformer US Air'Force B-52 pilot,
made a mayday call and reported a cloud
form resembling the top half of a ball which
quadrupled in size in 30 seconds and rose to
over 18 280 m. Be was given permission to
change course on the airway to avoid the
cloud.
His sighting was.confirmed by KLM and
JAL passenger flights in the area and by
two Flying Tiger cargo aircraft. All five
airliners were checked on arrival in Alaska
for radioactivity but none was found.
The US Federal Aviation Authority
issued a NOTAM warning of a possible
radiological event before the aircraft
arrived for checking. The NOTAM was still
in force at the time of writing.
US military sources reported no seismic
or nuclear activity at the time. The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
satellite surveillance section had pictures
about two hours after the report, showing a
clear high pressure area but obscured by
cirrus cloud. Some 18 hours later the
satellite found thin cirrus cloud over the
area, with a 'boomerang' shaped cloud near
the surface but well to the west over Japan,
at 40?N, 141 ?E. NASA has since been
doing computer work to determine the
New. Jersey :
transits-_.
Panama Canal
cloud's height and temperature. ? The 45 DX ton battleship USS New Jersey
The week before the incident the FAA squeezes through the Panama Ca ae/ looks oh 27
issued a NOTAM on possible Soviet tests at April on route to Long Beach, ?Califomia, aheran
47?N, 150?E but there 'is nothing to relate extended tour of duty off the coast of Lebanon
these to the cloud. (AP Laserphoto)
Mexico buys.
Panhard VBL
scout car
By Adrian English
THE MEXICAN Government has
become the first recorded purchaser of
the new: Panhard vdhicule blindd ldger
(VBL)-scout car with an order for 27
vehicles.
The VBL, developed in response. to a
requirement-by the French Army for a
light armoured reconnaissance vehicle in
the three-tonne range, accommodates a
normal crew of three in a fully enclosed
body measuring 3.7 m long by 2.02 m
wide and has a nett height of 1.70 m to.
top of hull.
The front-mounted 2500 cc Peugeot
XD3T water-cooled four-cylinder diesel
engine produces 95.hp at 4150 rpm and
gives a maximum road speed of
95 km/h and a maximum range of
750 km. .
Normal armament consists of a ring-
inounted 7.62 mm machine gun,
although a number of ' alternative
armament fits are on offer.
Barcelona air show'
SPAIN IS TO join the international air
show scene this year with its own Cosmo-84
which is to be held in Barcelona 2-10 June,
with emphasis. on the South and Central
American, African and Arab markets.
The material on show will range from
military aircraft and their equipment,
through items such as avionics and
navigation equipment, to the components
industry and general aviation. Cosmo-84 is
being held in co-operation with the
Barcelona Fair and the static exhibition will
be in Hall No I of the Barcelona Exhibition
Centre. Aircraft exhibitors will have air-
conditioned bungalows at the International
Airport.
Bi expansion protected, for Indian Navy
By Pushpinder Singh in New Delhi
CONCERNED. WITH the growing "militarisation of the Indian conventional armament), 'Kresta-II' class cruisers and additional
Ocean", the Indian Government Is understood to have stipolated 'Kashin-II' class guided missile.destroyers from the Soviet Union.
long-term perspective plans to enhance the blue-water capabilities Also planned for acquisition are four more `Nanuchka-II"
of the Indian Navy and give a new dimension to'its strike power. rriissile-corvettes and up to six more' 'Natya' class ocean
The plans include expansion of indigenous warship. production minesweepers. The Indian Navy is interested in the longer range
(missile-equipped Godavari class frigates and HDW-designed SSKs ship-launched SS-N-14 missiles along with associated radar, for
are to be built at Mazagaon Dockyards, Bombay, while fast patrol fitment on the planned cruisers and destroyers.
INAS 300 'White Tigers' are now fully operational
craft and other smaller vessels are built at Garden Reach Meanwhile,
Workshops, Calcutta), as well as acquisition of a new generation of with the Sea Harrier FRS Mk 51 on board the carrier INS Vikront
cruisers, destroyers, long-range surface-to-surface missiles and the and discussions the FRS MkfSr and T 6w-on batch of more Sea two-seat trainer.
? latest ECM entatntgpprov d Fo~ Release 28g ~ ~~R fCIA- 7 Q1 ~jQ)rilf }084SW force is also being
Mk 42B tted
Naval commentators believe e mo errusatton an t a stantial
King
b
augmented
the navy would require about 5000 more personnel in various with MEL1Super Search err radar. The .Sea Eagle anti ship missile
--?-...... IJnvv-minr the