Australian Department of Defence

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD), founded in 1901, is a government agency in Australia responsible for national defense and security. In UAP/UFO research, it has historically investigated sightings, notably at Woomera Prohibited Area during 1959-1963 nuclear tests, interviewing dozens of witnesses for security and scientific reasons. In 1966, it coordinated with CSIRO and RAAF on UFO cases. The Australian Army's Intelligence Corps managed files until the 1980s. RAAF ceased public UFO investigations in 1984 but internal probes continued under 'Unusual Aerial Phenomena' per 1996 ADMIN 55-1 policy. As of 2023, DoD states it has no protocol for UAP/UFO reporting and remains tight-lipped on Five Eyes collaboration with U.S. AARO. Key activities include past investigations and current non-disclosure; no notable achievements in UAP disclosure; active but minimal public UAP involvement.