In March 1967, two separate incidents at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana involved the alleged shutdown of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) coinciding with the sighting of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). These events, particularly the Oscar Flight incident, have been widely publicized by former U.S. Air Force personnel who claim direct knowledge of the occurrences, raising serious questions about national security and the nature of these unexplained phenomena.1
The Incidents
The first incident, on March 16, 1967, involved the "Echo Flight" where ten Minuteman ICBMs reportedly lost their strategic alert status within ten seconds of each other. The more widely known event occurred on March 24, 1967, at the Oscar Flight launch control center. According to former missile launch officer Captain Robert Salas, security personnel observed a glowing reddish-orange object hovering near the base. Shortly after this sighting, all ten Minuteman I ICBMs under his control went offline simultaneously.2 In both cases, the simultaneous failure of independently operated missiles was highly unusual and concerning to military officials.3
Aftermath and Debate
Despite the missile shutdowns, no physical damage to the equipment was reported, and the missiles were typically restored to alert status within 24 hours. The incidents caused significant concern within the military, as indicated by declassified communications expressing "grave concern" over the unexplained loss of missile functionality.4 Witnesses like Robert Salas and Colonel Frederick Meiwald have consistently linked the missile malfunctions to the presence of UFOs, with Salas interpreting these events as a message from non-human intelligence regarding nuclear weapons.5 While theories such as electromagnetic interference have been proposed, no conclusive evidence has been found to explain the simultaneous failures, leaving the Malmstrom incidents a subject of ongoing debate among military officials, UFO researchers, and skeptics.6