2001-08-19 - Grafenwoehr (Germany) - Other

Unkown Craft enters No-Fly Zone at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, and is chased by military jet fighters.

On the above date at Grafenwoehr Germany, (U.S. Army Training Base) a unkown craft enterded the Grafenwoehr training Area at 19 degree's over a MK-19 live fire range. I was the Range Saftey officer at the time and a cease fire was called, due to the fact that this area is 1. a no fly zone for civilian aircraft (the Germans definatley avoid this area) and 2. cease fires are noted for exact times on the firing ranges for aircraft fire (military aircraft) and a cease fire is additionaly called frome range control 1 hour prior to aircraft entry into the training area. The craft was the shape of a dodacheron triangle standing on end. It appeared out of knowhere at 19 degree's off of due north, and slowly proceeded toward 190 degree's. The craft appeared to be at a height of 800-1000 feet. I called range control of the situation and they stated that no craft where to be in the area. I then called TSACC (Air Control Tower) in Grafenwoer and informed SSG Murphey of our situation who was the Controller on duty. He stated that he had the craft on radar and that he had to make some notifications and would call me back. The craft came to a stop and appeared to hover, no sound was present comeing from the craft and it was shifting (changing colors), blue, red, green. The also appeared to be a mirage (aura)or heat trail off to, what I guess would be the rear of the craft or the opposite side of travel. While hovering the craft was a light blue. After about another 5 minutes the craft started to change color blue and green and was swaying slightly side to side. Another few minutes went by and the craft again started moving to 190 degree's and then Range control calls all ranges via SINGAR's Radio and reiterates a cease fire for incoming German air craft. From the North came two German fighter with full afterburners heading for the craft. The craft turned red in color and accelerated to almost a blur going straight up, the jet immediatly went into a climb. I got back on the land line with The TSACC and SSG Murphey the told me that the unidentified craft shot up from 1300 feet to about 50,000 feet in a single sweep of the radar. SSG Murphey then said that the Germans and American both attempted to contat the craft which met with negative result and that German and American Fighters had been scrambled and then that he had to go, I heard several phones in the backgroud ringing of the hook. For the next 30 minute several groups of military fighters came through the area at high rates of speed and at different elevations. The soldiers at the range where then briefed prior to leaving that evening not to repeat what they had seen by our CO and that this action was classified from higher. I am now out of the military and felt that this should be known. I had been a Military Police Officer for 15 years and am now a Disabled Veteran from the war in Iraq and a 4 time combat Veteran.