The Belgian UFO wave was a series of widespread sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) that occurred in Belgium from November 1989 to April 1990, with a peak of activity on the night of March 30, 1990. Thousands of people, including police officers, gendarmes, and military personnel, reported seeing large, silent, triangular crafts with bright lights, exhibiting movements inconsistent with conventional aircraft.1 This wave of sightings led to unprecedented military involvement and public statements from Belgian authorities, making it one of the most significant UFO events in history.2
The Sightings
The initial reports in November 1989 came from the town of Eupen, where two gendarmes observed a silent, triangular object with bright lights at each corner and often a flashing red or orange light in the center.3 Witnesses consistently described these objects as flying at low altitudes, performing sudden stops, rapid acceleration, and abrupt changes in direction. The most dramatic night was March 30, 1990, when numerous sightings occurred across the country, prompting the Belgian Air Force to scramble F-16 fighter jets to investigate.4
Military Intercepts and Official Response
During the peak of the wave, unidentified objects were tracked on radar by both military and civilian systems. Two Belgian Air Force F-16 fighter jets were launched, and radar data showed erratic shifts in altitude and velocity, with objects reportedly descending from over 10,000 feet to as low as 500 feet in seconds.5 Despite achieving radar locks, the F-16 pilots never achieved visual confirmation of the objects. In a rare move, Colonel Wilfried De Brouwer, Chief of Operations of the Belgian Air Force, publicly stated that authorities could not explain the sightings based on available technology, ruling out conventional aircraft, meteorological phenomena, or natural explanations.6 While a well-known photograph of a triangular craft was later admitted to be a hoax, the consistency of eyewitness accounts and radar data continue to make the Belgian UFO wave a compelling and unresolved case.7