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Why Did Peru Create a UFO Office?

Peru's Air Force investigated anomalous reports primarily to protect national airspace, not to confirm extraterrestrial visitation.

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On this page

  • From OIFAA to DIFAA
  • Air Safety and National Security
  • Public Reporting and Institutional Gaps
Preview for Why Did Peru Create a UFO Office?

Introduction

Peru’s military has never presented its UFO office as a programme to prove extraterrestrial visitation. Instead, the country’s Air Force established a specialised body to receive, catalogue and assess reports of unusual aerial phenomena because unidentified objects in controlled airspace can raise questions about flight safety, national security and airspace surveillance. That distinction is essential to understanding Peru’s approach: the institution’s purpose has been to determine what witnesses actually observed, identify conventional explanations where possible, and investigate the small number of cases that remain unresolved.

UFO Office illustration 1

Although Peru has become internationally associated with dramatic UFO stories, the official mission of its investigative office has consistently been framed in practical aviation terms. Its history—from the creation of the Office for the Investigation of Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena (OIFAA) in 2001 to the revival of its successor, the Department for the Investigation of Anomalous Aerial Phenomena (DIFAA), in 2013—illustrates how the Peruvian Air Force has treated unidentified aerial reports primarily as an operational and governance issue rather than evidence of alien visitors.[The Guardian]theguardian.comThe GuardianPeru's UFO investigations office to be reopened | Peru | The GuardianOctober 27, 2013…Published: October 27, 2013

Why did Peru create a UFO office?

The immediate catalyst for creating an official investigative office was not a single spectacular incident but an accumulation of reports from civilians, pilots and regional observers during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Among the most influential were repeated sightings around Chulucanas in northern Peru, where clusters of luminous objects generated widespread media attention and prompted questions about whether the Air Force was monitoring unusual activity.

Rather than leaving such reports entirely to private UFO researchers, the Peruvian Air Force decided that unexplained aerial observations affecting national airspace deserved an institutional process. This reflected a straightforward operational principle: military organisations are expected to investigate unknown objects entering or appearing within their area of responsibility regardless of whether the final explanation proves ordinary or extraordinary. Contemporary accounts from those involved indicate that the office was intended to centralise reports, evaluate available evidence and provide an official point of contact for the public.[UFO]ufo.com.bra origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufologica oficial no peruA origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufológica oficial no Peru – UFOMarch 7, 2012…Published: March 7, 2012

Importantly, the creation of the office did not signal an official endorsement of extraterrestrial hypotheses. Instead, it acknowledged that some reports warranted investigation because unidentified aircraft, balloons, atmospheric events, astronomical objects or other phenomena could have implications for aviation operations.

From OIFAA to DIFAA

The original OIFAA

In 2001 the Peruvian Air Force established the Office for the Investigation of Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena (OIFAA). It operated within the Air Force’s aerospace interests structure and brought together military personnel alongside selected civilian specialists with backgrounds including engineering, anthropology and legal studies.

OIFAA’s responsibilities included:

  • receiving reports of unusual aerial phenomena;
  • gathering witness testimony and supporting material;
  • comparing reports with known aviation, meteorological and astronomical information;
  • maintaining records of investigated cases; and
  • advising the Air Force when reports had potential operational significance.[UFO]ufo.com.bra origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufologica oficial no peruA origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufológica oficial no Peru – UFOMarch 7, 2012…Published: March 7, 2012

The office reportedly became less active after several years because of administrative changes rather than any announced conclusion that unexplained phenomena no longer occurred.

26:13

Peruvian fighter pilot Oscar Santa María Huertas talks chasing & shooting at a UFO on April 11, 1980

Channel: Eyes On Cinema · Views: 11.7K · Uploaded: August 2024 · Length: 26 minutes

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The 2013 revival as DIFAA

International attention returned in October 2013 when the Peruvian Air Force announced that it was reactivating its investigative capability through the Department for the Investigation of Anomalous Aerial Phenomena (DIFAA).

Officials explained that increasing public reports—particularly in the age of mobile-phone cameras and social media—made it useful to provide an official channel where observations could be evaluated instead of circulating solely through rumours or sensational media coverage. Colonel Julio Vucetich, then associated with the Air Force’s aerospace interests directorate, emphasised that many witnesses had previously avoided reporting sightings for fear of ridicule. The revived department sought to reduce that barrier while applying technical review rather than assuming extraordinary explanations.[theguardian.com]theguardian.comThe GuardianPeru's UFO investigations office to be reopened | Peru | The GuardianOctober 27, 2013…Published: October 27, 2013

Air safety and national security came first

The most important feature of Peru’s programme is that its institutional mission aligns with normal military responsibilities rather than paranormal investigation.

The Peruvian Air Force’s statutory role is to control, monitor and defend the nation’s airspace. From that perspective, any unidentified aerial object represents an information gap until it can be identified. An unknown radar return, unusual visual observation or unexplained light may ultimately prove harmless, but it must first be assessed against possibilities such as civilian aircraft, military activity, balloons, atmospheric effects or other aviation-related causes.[Gob.pe]gob.peInformación institucionalFuerza Aérea del Perú - Plataforma del Estado Peruano…

Officials repeatedly described DIFAA’s objectives in practical terms:

  • determining how often anomalous reports occur;
  • identifying where and when they are most frequently reported;
  • evaluating available evidence;
  • reducing uncertainty surrounding unusual observations; and
  • reassuring the public when conventional explanations can be established.[Prensa Libre]prensalibre.comPrensa Libre Perú reabre oficina para reportar ovnisPrensa LibrePerú reabre oficina para reportar ovnisOctober 21, 2013…Published: October 21, 2013

This approach differs significantly from popular portrayals that describe the office as a government body dedicated to proving alien visitation. Public statements instead frame the department as an investigative and analytical function supporting aviation awareness.

UFO Office illustration 2

What kinds of reports were investigated?

The office accepted reports from multiple sources rather than relying solely on military personnel.

These included:

  • civilian eyewitnesses;
  • commercial and private pilots;
  • Air Force personnel;
  • photographs and video recordings;
  • regional clusters of repeated sightings; and
  • incidents considered potentially relevant to aviation operations.

The widely discussed Chulucanas reports became associated with the office because they represented a sustained pattern of observations rather than an isolated anecdote. Nevertheless, publicly available documentation does not indicate that the Air Force concluded those sightings involved extraterrestrial craft. Instead, they remained examples of cases that were investigated because they had not been immediately identified.[UFO]ufo.com.bra origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufologica oficial no peruA origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufológica oficial no Peru – UFOMarch 7, 2012…Published: March 7, 2012

UFOs at the National Press Club (2007): The Global Testimony That Changed Everything

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Public reporting and institutional gaps

One recurring challenge has been balancing public expectations with the limits of available evidence.

Many reports reach investigators only after media attention has grown, by which time photographs may be low resolution, witness recollections may have evolved and independent physical evidence may be unavailable. Even when multiple people observe the same event, determining an object’s true distance, speed or size is often impossible without calibrated instruments, radar data or observations from several locations.

Another limitation is transparency. Although Peru has publicly acknowledged the existence of its investigative office, relatively few complete case files have been released. As a result, outside researchers often rely on interviews, press reports and secondary accounts rather than comprehensive technical investigations. This makes it difficult to evaluate individual cases to the standards normally expected in aviation accident or defence analysis.

Consequently, three categories remain important when interpreting Peruvian reports:

  • Explained cases, where conventional causes can be identified.
  • Unidentified cases, where available evidence is insufficient to reach a firm conclusion.
  • Extraordinary claims, which require evidence beyond eyewitness testimony and have not been confirmed by the Air Force.

Keeping those categories separate helps avoid the common mistake of treating every unresolved observation as evidence for an extraordinary explanation.

UFO Office illustration 3

What Peru’s UFO office demonstrates—and what it does not

Peru’s investigative office demonstrates that the country’s Air Force considers unidentified aerial reports worthy of official attention when they intersect with aviation safety, airspace monitoring or public concern. The existence of OIFAA and later DIFAA shows an institutional willingness to collect reports rather than dismiss them automatically.

At the same time, the office should not be interpreted as official confirmation that Peru possesses evidence of extraterrestrial spacecraft. Public statements from Air Force officials consistently describe a process of investigation and evaluation rather than validation of extraordinary claims. The office exists because unknown aerial observations can have legitimate operational significance, not because their origin has been established.

Within Peru’s broader history of UFO reports—including military encounters, regional sighting waves and recurring public interest—the Air Force’s investigative mission stands out as an example of governance focused on uncertainty management. Its primary contribution has been to provide an official mechanism for examining unusual reports while recognising that many cases ultimately remain unresolved because the available evidence is incomplete rather than because an extraterrestrial explanation has been demonstrated.

2007-11-12: National Press Club UFO Conference

Channel: Tom Owens UAP

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Endnotes

1. Source: gob.pe
Title: Información institucional
Link:https://www.gob.pe/en/institucion/fap/institucional

Source snippet

Fuerza Aérea del Perú - Plataforma del Estado Peruano...

2. Source: gob.pe
Link:https://www.gob.pe/institucion/fap/normas-legales/6637359-1139

Source snippet

Legislativo N.° 1139 - Normas y documentos legales - Fuerza Aérea del Perú - Plataforma del Estado PeruanoApril 4, 2025 — FUERZA AÉREA DE...

Published: April 4, 2025

3. Source: gob.pe
Title: 7662567 adn institucional 2026 fap
Link:https://www.gob.pe/institucion/fap/informes-publicaciones/7662567-adn-institucional-2026-fap

Source snippet

Institucional 2026 FAP - Informes y publicaciones - Fuerza Aérea del Perú - Plataforma del Estado PeruanoJanuary 27, 2026 — FUERZA AÉREA...

Published: January 27, 2026

4. Source: gob.pe
Title: www.gob.pe Decreto Legislativo
Link:https://www.gob.pe/institucion/fap/normas-legales/tipos/8-decreto-legislativo

5. Source: portal.mtc.gob.pe
Link:https://portal.mtc.gob.pe/transportes/aeronautica_civil/seguridad_aeronautica/seguridad_aviacion.html

6. Source: theguardian.com
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/27/peru-ufo-investigations-office-reopening

Source snippet

The GuardianPeru's UFO investigations office to be reopened | Peru | The GuardianOctober 27, 2013...

Published: October 27, 2013

7. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: a origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufologica oficial no peru
Link:https://ufo.com.br/a-origem-e-desenvolvimento-da-pesquisa-ufologica-oficial-no-peru/

Source snippet

A origem e desenvolvimento da pesquisa ufológica oficial no Peru – UFOMarch 7, 2012...

Published: March 7, 2012

8. Source: elcomercio.pe
Link:https://elcomercio.pe/sociedad/lima/fap-reactivo-oficina-investigar-avistamiento-ovnis-noticia-1646991/

9. Source: prensalibre.com
Title: Prensa Libre Perú reabre oficina para reportar ovnis
Link:https://www.prensalibre.com/leer-para-creer/leer_para_creer-ovni-extraterrestres-peru_0_1015098686-html/

Source snippet

Prensa LibrePerú reabre oficina para reportar ovnisOctober 21, 2013...

Published: October 21, 2013

10. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: A Aeronáutica peruana reativa seu organismo de pesquisa ufológica
Link:https://ufo.com.br/a-aeronautica-peruana-reativa-seu-organismo-de-pesquisa-ufologica/

11. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: A ancestral ligação dos povos andinos com visitantes extraterrestres
Link:https://ufo.com.br/a-ancestral-ligacao-dos-povos-andinos-com-visitantes-extraterrestres/

12. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: a verdade sobre a pesquisa ufologica oficial no peru e no continente
Link:https://ufo.com.br/a-verdade-sobre-a-pesquisa-ufologica-oficial-no-peru-e-no-continente/

13. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: Força Aérea do Peru volta a investigar UFOs
Link:https://ufo.com.br/forca-aerea-do-peru-volta-a-investigar-ufos/

14. Source: ufo.com.br
Title: o funciona a entidade oficial de pesquisas ufologicas do peru
Link:https://ufo.com.br/como-funciona-a-entidade-oficial-de-pesquisas-ufologicas-do-peru/

Additional References

15. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJjP0khrKsI

Source snippet

Fighter pilot Oscar Santa María Huertas talks shooting at a UFO, "[La Joya]({{ 'la-joya/' | relative_url }})," Peru, April 11, 1980...

Published: April 11, 1980

16. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGc6bul5NDs

Source snippet

Peru reopens UFO department DIFAA OIFAA They’re not aliens. That’s the verdict from Peru officials who seized 2 doll-like figures Associa...

Published: November 12, 2007

17. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Ma14cskAg

Source snippet

UFOS OVNIS IN PERU Dr Anthony Choy in History Channel...

Published: April 11, 1980

18. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFgN_KwDvJY

Source snippet

2007-11-12: National Press Club UFO Conference...

Published: November 12, 2007

19. Source: youtube.com
Title: UFOS OVNIS IN PERU Dr Anthony Choy in History Channel
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt80ITqpF2c

Source snippet

UFOs at the National Press Club (2007): The Global Testimony That Changed Everything...

20. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap7_section_7.html

21. Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3965403/dod-examining-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/

22. Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2853121/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-airborne-object-identification-and-manag/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-airborne-object-identification-and-manag/

23. Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2314065/establishment-of-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-task-force/

24. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/chap9_section_8.html