DISCLOSURE / FILE
January 31, 1994 State Department cable from Embassy Dushanbe reporting a 40-minute UAP encounter by Tajik Air's American chief pilot and crew while flying a 747SP at 41,000 feet over Kazakhstan on January 27, 1994.
State Department UAP Cable 2, Kazakhstan, January 31, 1994
January 31, 1994 State Department cable from Embassy Dushanbe reporting a 40-minute UAP encounter by Tajik Air's American chief pilot and crew while flying a 747SP at 41,000 feet over Kazakhstan on January 27, 1994.
Cable 94 DUSHANBE 259, sent routine on 310258Z JAN 94 from AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE to SECSTATE WASHDC with info copies to Moscow, Tashkent, Ashgabat, Almaty, Beijing, Bishkek, CIA, and DIA, reports that Tajik Air Chief Pilot Ed Rhodes (AMCIT) and two American colleagues encountered a bright high-altitude object at lat 45 north, long 55 east over Kazakhstan. The crew watched it for roughly 40 minutes as it executed circles, corkscrews, and 90-degree turns at high speed and high G, then flew under contrails the object had left at an estimated 100,000 feet. Captain Rhodes shot photos with a pocket Olympus camera and agreed to forward copies to the embassy and the Tajikistan desk (Lowry Taylor). Rhodes, citing the object's speed and maneuverability and his crew's experience with meteors and re-entering debris from years flying for Pan Am, told the embassy he believed the object was extraterrestrial and under intelligent control; the embassy closed with "WE HAVE NO OPINION AND REPORT THE ABOVE FOR WHAT IT MAY BE WORTH."
TAJIK AIR CHIEF PILOT, AMCIT ED RHODES, AND HIS TWO AMERICAN PILOT COLLEAGUES REPORTED JANUARY 29 THAT, ON JANUARY 27, THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED A UFO WHILE FLYING AT 41,000 FEET IN THEIR BOEINGp.1
THEY WATCHED THE OBJECT FOR SOME FORTY MINUTES AS IT MANEUVERED IN CIRCLES, CORKSCREWS AND MADE 90-DEGREE TURNS AT RAPID RATES OF SPEED AND UNDER VERY HIGH G'S.p.2
THEY DESCRIBED THE LIGHT IT EMITTED AS HAVING A "BOW WAVE" AND AS RESEMBLING A HIGH-SPEED PHOTO OF A BULLET IN FLIGHT, IN WHICH A VERY SMALL OBJECT GIVES OFF A MUCH LARGER TRAILING WAVE OF HEAT/LIGHT.p.2
RHODES ESTIMATED THE ALTITUDE OF THE CONTRAILS AT APPROXIMATELY 100,000 FEET, NOTING THAT THERE IS TOO LITTLE AIR/MOISTURE AT THAT EXTREME ALTITUDE TO ENABLE THE CREATION OF CONTRAILS BY THE PROPULSION MECHANISMS OF ORDINARY AIRCRAFT WHICH MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH THAT HEIGHT.p.2
ON THE BASIS OF ITS SPEED AND MANEUVERABILITY, RHODES EXPRESSED THE OPINION, WHICH HIS CREW SEEMED TO SUPPORT, THAT THE OBJECT WAS EXTRATERRESTRIAL AND UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL.p.2
COMMENT: WE HAVE NO OPINION AND REPORT THE ABOVE FOR WHAT IT MAY BE WORTH.p.2
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UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED MRN: 94 DUSHANBE 259 Date/DTG: Jan 31 , 1994 / 310000Z Jan 94 From: AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE Action: WASHDC, SECSTATE ROUTINE; MOSCOW, AMEMBASSY ROUTINE E.O.: Unknown TAGS: TSPA, EAIR, KZ, Tl, TAJIK AIR, (RHODES, ED) Reference: n/a Subject: TAJIK AIR PILOTS REPORT UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z ACTION OES-09 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 OASY-00 DOTE-00 EAP-01 EB-01 EUR-01 FAAE-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 ADS-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SNIS-00 NISC-02 /016W --1FA298 310310Z/38 R 310258Z JAN 94 FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2150 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY ALMATY AMEMBASSY BEIJING AMEMBASSY BISHKEK CIA WASHDC 0224 DIA WASHDC 0232 UNCLAS DUSHANBE 00259 DEPARTMENT FOR OES/S E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: TSAP, EAIR, Tl SUBJECT: TAJIK AIR PILOTS REPORT UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT 1. TAJIK AIR CHIEF PILOT, AMCIT ED RHODES, AND HIS TWO AMERICAN PILOT COLLEAGUES REPORTED JANUARY 29 THAT, ON JANUARY 27, THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED A UFO WHILE FLYING AT 41,000 FEET IN THEIR BOEING UNCLASSIFIED Released in Full John Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State 2/25/2026 UNCLASSIFIED Pagel of 3
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UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z 747SP AT LAT 45 NORTH AND LONG 55 EAST, OVER KAZAKHSTAN . THEY FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE OBJECT AS A BRIGHT LIGHT OF ENORMOUS INTENSITY, APPROACHING THEM FROM OVER THE HORIZON TO THE EAST AT A GREAT RATE OF SPEED AND AT A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE THAN THEIR OWN . THEY WATCHED THE OBJECT FOR SOME FORTY MINUTES AS IT MANEUVERED IN CIRCLES, CORKSCREWS AND MADE 90-DEGREE TURNS AT RAPID RATES OF SPEED AND UNDER VERY HIGH G'S. CAPTAIN RHODES TOOK SEVERAL PHOTOS WITH A POCKET OLYMPUS CAMERA AND WILL SEND COPIES TO THE EMBASSY AND THE TAJIKISTAN DESK (LOWRY TAYLOR) IN THE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY COME OUT. AFTER SOME TIME, THE OBJECT ADOPTED A HORIZONTAL HIGH-SPEED COURSE AND DISAPPEARED OVER THE HORIZON. 2. AS IT WAS DARK WHEN THE OBJECT WAS OBSERVED, THE CREW WERE UNABLE TO DISCERN ITS SHAPE. THEY DESCRIBED THE LIGHT IT EMITTED AS HAVING A "BOW WAVE" AND AS RESEMBLING A HIGH-SPEED PHOTO OF A BULLET IN FLIGHT, IN WHICH A VERY SMALL OBJECT GIVES OFF A MUCH LARGER TRAILING WAVE OF HEAT/LIGHT. SOME FORTY-FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL SIGHTING, AS THE SUN WAS RISING, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW UNDER THE CONTRAILS WHICH THE OBJECT HAD LEFT BEHIND. THE PLANE WAS MAKING OVER 500 KNOTS. RHODES ESTIMATED THE ALTITUDE OF THE CONTRAILS AT APPROXIMATELY 100,000 FEET, NOTING THAT THERE IS TOO LITTLE AIR/MOISTURE AT THAT EXTREME ALTITUDE TO ENABLE THE CREATION OF CONTRAILS BY THE PROPULSION MECHANISMS OF ORDINARY AIRCRAFT WHICH MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH THAT HEIGHT. THE PATHS OF THE CONTRAILS REFLECTED THE MANEUVERS OF THE OBJECT, I.E., CIRCLES, CORKSCREWS, ETC. 3. TO OUR SUGGESTION THAT THE OBJECT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A METEOR ENTERING AND SKIPPING OFF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, RHODES AND HIS CREW WERE ADAMANT THAT THEY HAD SEEN THOUSANDS OF "FALLING STARS" UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z AND OTHER SPACE JUNK ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE IN THEIR YEARS OF FLYING PASSENGER AIRCRAFT FOR PANAM. THIS, THEY INSISTED, WAS NOTHING LIKE A METEOR. ON THE BASIS OF ITS SPEED AND MANEUVERABILITY, RHODES EXPRESSED THE OPINION, WHICH HIS CREW SEEMED TO SUPPORT, THAT THE OBJECT WAS EXTRATERRESTRIAL AND UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL. 4. COMMENT: WE HAVE NO OPINION AND REPORT THE ABOVE FOR WHAT IT MAY BE WORTH. ESCUDERO UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 2 of 3
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UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 NNNN Dissemination Rule: Archive Copy UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 3 of 3
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UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED MRN: 94 DUSHANBE 259 Date/DTG: Jan 31 , 1994 / 310000Z Jan 94 From: AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE Action: WASHDC, SECSTATE ROUTINE; MOSCOW, AMEMBASSY ROUTINE E.O.: Unknown TAGS: TSPA, EAIR, KZ, Tl, TAJIK AIR, (RHODES, ED) Reference: n/a Subject: TAJIK AIR PILOTS REPORT UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z ACTION OES-09 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 OASY-00 DOTE-00 EAP-01 EB-01 EUR-01 FAAE-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 ADS-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SNIS-00 NISC-02 /016W --1FA298 310310Z/38 R 310258Z JAN 94 FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2150 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY ALMATY AMEMBASSY BEIJING AMEMBASSY BISHKEK CIA WASHDC 0224 DIA WASHDC 0232 UNCLAS DUSHANBE 00259 DEPARTMENT FOR OES/S E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: TSAP, EAIR, Tl SUBJECT: TAJIK AIR PILOTS REPORT UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT 1. TAJIK AIR CHIEF PILOT, AMCIT ED RHODES, AND HIS TWO AMERICAN PILOT COLLEAGUES REPORTED JANUARY 29 THAT, ON JANUARY 27, THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED A UFO WHILE FLYING AT 41,000 FEET IN THEIR BOEING UNCLASSIFIED Released in Full John Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State 2/25/2026 UNCLASSIFIED Pagel of 3
UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z 747SP AT LAT 45 NORTH AND LONG 55 EAST, OVER KAZAKHSTAN . THEY FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE OBJECT AS A BRIGHT LIGHT OF ENORMOUS INTENSITY, APPROACHING THEM FROM OVER THE HORIZON TO THE EAST AT A GREAT RATE OF SPEED AND AT A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE THAN THEIR OWN . THEY WATCHED THE OBJECT FOR SOME FORTY MINUTES AS IT MANEUVERED IN CIRCLES, CORKSCREWS AND MADE 90-DEGREE TURNS AT RAPID RATES OF SPEED AND UNDER VERY HIGH G'S. CAPTAIN RHODES TOOK SEVERAL PHOTOS WITH A POCKET OLYMPUS CAMERA AND WILL SEND COPIES TO THE EMBASSY AND THE TAJIKISTAN DESK (LOWRY TAYLOR) IN THE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY COME OUT. AFTER SOME TIME, THE OBJECT ADOPTED A HORIZONTAL HIGH-SPEED COURSE AND DISAPPEARED OVER THE HORIZON. 2. AS IT WAS DARK WHEN THE OBJECT WAS OBSERVED, THE CREW WERE UNABLE TO DISCERN ITS SHAPE. THEY DESCRIBED THE LIGHT IT EMITTED AS HAVING A "BOW WAVE" AND AS RESEMBLING A HIGH-SPEED PHOTO OF A BULLET IN FLIGHT, IN WHICH A VERY SMALL OBJECT GIVES OFF A MUCH LARGER TRAILING WAVE OF HEAT/LIGHT. SOME FORTY-FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL SIGHTING, AS THE SUN WAS RISING, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW UNDER THE CONTRAILS WHICH THE OBJECT HAD LEFT BEHIND. THE PLANE WAS MAKING OVER 500 KNOTS. RHODES ESTIMATED THE ALTITUDE OF THE CONTRAILS AT APPROXIMATELY 100,000 FEET, NOTING THAT THERE IS TOO LITTLE AIR/MOISTURE AT THAT EXTREME ALTITUDE TO ENABLE THE CREATION OF CONTRAILS BY THE PROPULSION MECHANISMS OF ORDINARY AIRCRAFT WHICH MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH THAT HEIGHT. THE PATHS OF THE CONTRAILS REFLECTED THE MANEUVERS OF THE OBJECT, I.E., CIRCLES, CORKSCREWS, ETC. 3. TO OUR SUGGESTION THAT THE OBJECT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A METEOR ENTERING AND SKIPPING OFF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, RHODES AND HIS CREW WERE ADAMANT THAT THEY HAD SEEN THOUSANDS OF "FALLING STARS" UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 DUSHAN 00259 310310Z AND OTHER SPACE JUNK ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE IN THEIR YEARS OF FLYING PASSENGER AIRCRAFT FOR PANAM. THIS, THEY INSISTED, WAS NOTHING LIKE A METEOR. ON THE BASIS OF ITS SPEED AND MANEUVERABILITY, RHODES EXPRESSED THE OPINION, WHICH HIS CREW SEEMED TO SUPPORT, THAT THE OBJECT WAS EXTRATERRESTRIAL AND UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL. 4. COMMENT: WE HAVE NO OPINION AND REPORT THE ABOVE FOR WHAT IT MAY BE WORTH. ESCUDERO UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 2 of 3
UNCLASSIFIED CSP-2025-00040 B-00002707028 "UNCLASSIFIED" 3/2/2026 NNNN Dissemination Rule: Archive Copy UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page 3 of 3