Peru Mariano Melgar AFB: SU-22 Fires on Hovering UFO, Object Outpaces Mach 2 Jet
At Mariano Melgar Air Base in southern Peru, officers saw a round object hovering near the airfield. Per DIA documents, the base commander authorized an SU-22 fighter-bomber (capable of Mach 2) to intercept. The pilot fired upon the object at close range without causing any apparent damage. On the second pass, the UFO accelerated out of sight. The following evening, a UFO returned to the same area and another SU-22 was scrambled but ordered not to fire (missiles too expensive). The object again outdistanced the aircraft. The departure speed from hovering to outrunning a Mach 2 jet remains one of the key mysteries of this encounter.
Background
EVENT TITLE: Peru Mariano Melgar AFB: SU-22 Fires on Hovering UFO, Object Outpaces Mach 2 Jet
EVENT DATE: 1980-05-09
EVENT TYPE: military_encounter
1. On May 9, 1980, officers at Mariano Melgar Air Base in southern Peru observed a round object hovering near the airfield. A Peruvian Air Force SU-22 fighter-bomber was authorized to intercept the object. The pilot engaged the object, firing upon it, but the UFO accelerated away, outperforming the Mach 2 jet.
The Incident
* On the morning of May 9, 1980, a group of officers at Mariano Melgar Air Base witnessed a round object hovering near the airfield.
* The base commander authorized an SU-22 fighter-bomber to intercept and identify the object. The SU-22 is capable of reaching Mach 2.
* The pilot fired upon the object at close range, but the object sustained no apparent damage.
* When the pilot attempted a second pass, the UFO accelerated away and was lost from sight.
Investigation
* According to documents from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the base commander authorized the SU-22 intercept.
* The source text does not provide information about a formal investigation beyond the initial authorization of the intercept.
Significance
* This event is significant as a military encounter involving a modern jet fighter engaging a UFO.
* The reported ability of the object to outpace a Mach 2 aircraft and withstand weapons fire suggests advanced technology.
* The DIA documentation indicates official U.S. government interest in the event.
* The incident is one of two Peruvian Air Force encounters that occurred on consecutive days, suggesting a period of heightened UFO activity in the region.