December 16, 1978🇨🇱Military Encounter
TriangleCongressional

Calama: Chilean Air Force Intercepts Massive Triangular UFO

Chilean Air Force radar detected a UFO at 10,000 feet near Calama on December 16, 1978. Three F-5E fighter jets were dispatched and observed a triangular object approximately 50 times larger than their aircraft.

Date
December 16, 1978
Location
Calama, Chile🇨🇱
Type
Military Encounter
Country
🇨🇱 Chile
Map

Background

Radar Detection On December 16, 1978 at 8:00 p.m., radar operators detected an unidentified flying object at approximately 10,000 feet altitude in the region surrounding Calama, Chile.

Military Interception Three F-5E fighter jets were scrambled from Antofagasta to intercept the object. The pilots achieved visual contact with the craft and reported observing a large triangular-shaped object with extraordinary dimensions—estimated to be approximately 50 times the size of their fighter aircraft.

Significance This incident represents a significant military encounter involving multiple jet aircraft and radar confirmation. The Chilean Air Force's official involvement and the corroborating radar data distinguish this case as one of the most substantial documented aerial encounters of 1978.