Ben Rich Claims of UFO/Aliens...Fact or Fiction?

Back on topic, This Ben Rich claim seems to be just heresay. Does anyone actually have any evidence that he actually said this?

I have searched and searched for this (and it's one of the reasons I bought and read his book, memoirs, etc.), but I still haven't found any print or recording that shows definitively he said it. Numerous witnesses, but no actual proof.

In Rich's autobiography entitled "Skunk works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed," Rich is all business has he details his history and work on the SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117A stealth fighter. When the incredible SR-71 was making its 2000 mph developmental test runs across the western US, he mentions twice in the book that the test facilities would call ahead to NORAD and inform them that the radar returns they would be getting at such and such times of a fleeting craft would not a UFO, but of a secret test vehicle.

Make of it as you will.

I find it highly unlikely that Ben would actually say these statements listed. He has elluded to Lockheeds Stealth Blimp and that little bit of information spouted out...really got him in trouble. I don't think he would be so stupid as to drop a bomb of this level.
Split Infinity

Originally posted by Gazrok

Have these claims been debunked? Any truth to the claims that Ben Rich admitted that UFO/Aliens are real?

No, but hasn't been proven either. So far, it's nothing more than hearsay that he said these things. There are numerous people who claim to have been at the locations, and heard it, but no recordings of Ben to support it.

I've actually researched this man pretty well, read his memoirs, etc. It wouldn't surprise me that he'd make such a statement. However, I can also imagine him making such a statement just to put a spark of fear into our enemies.

He was a product of the cold war, and you don't just lose that mentality overnight. Here was a talented and ambitious man, the father of modern stealth, who constantly was looking for the next big advance, pushing the envelope for one of Lockheed's biggest customers, the CIA. Heck, Ben knows EXACTLY when and where we developed stealth, and that is was all based on a Russian scientist's papers, not our own. (The Russians simply never applied the principles to oddly shaped aircraft).

Simply put though, there's just no "time" to fit the idea of workable interstellar craft into his "timeline" of the development of other projects. It'd be hard to find a time he was there, that he wasn't fully dedicated to some other, now known project. Perhaps such ideas were on the drawing board, had theoretical concepts, etc., but I seriously doubt they were ever past that stage.

You make a great point about working an interstellar craft into his timeline. If our greatest minds were working on technologies to battle the Russians, when did we find time to dedicate the enormous task of researching & developing operation interstellar craft. This path of thought almost debunks all my theories! Haha...here I am again, full circle doubting my own beliefs. I've always thought you need to debunk much of the crap out there, and then, what you're then left with is the truth...Occam's Razor, when you've eliminated all the rest, the most logical answer is the one that makes the most sense. Maybe it is just a mass delusion, eh? lol...anyways, great post!

I find it highly unlikely that Ben would actually say these statements listed. He has elluded to Lockheeds Stealth Blimp and that little bit of information spouted out...really got him in trouble. I don't think he would be so stupid as to drop a bomb of this level.
Split Infinity

The thing is though...as the secret keepers get older, and closer to the final chapter, they start to feel a little untouchable, and some feel the need to tell others.

It's more rare than common, but it happens. Still though, my money is on, if he said it, it was really just disinfo to frighten our enemies.

In Rich's autobiography entitled "Skunk works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed," Rich is all business has he details his history and work on the SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117A stealth fighter. When the incredible SR-71 was making its 2000 mph developmental test runs across the western US, he mentions twice in the book that the test facilities would call ahead to NORAD and inform them that the radar returns they would be getting at such and such times of a fleeting craft would not a UFO, but of a secret test vehicle.

Make of it as you will.

Right, but that really means he was just identifying it for them, so they didn't go crazy trying to figure it out. That was a great book, and really gave you an inside look at how the programs developed.

Originally posted by loves a conspiricy
I dont buy it.....

Nearly all “biomorphic” aerospace designs were inspired by the Roswell spacecraft — from Kelly’s SR-71 Blackbird onward to today’s drones, UCAVs, and aerospace craft…

Makes no sense whatsoever.
Why would a spacecraft have to be streamline?? How is the SR71 a biomorphic aircraft??

Wasnt the roswell craft disc shaped?

Ive not looked into this dude....i will now as he sounds as absurd as many of the others

The SR-71 when it is fueled up and on the ground, leaks like crazy. It isn't until it reaches high speed that the metal gas tanks expand due to the heat friction and seal. Also the engines where a tubrojet/ramjet hybrid that involved compression of shock cones at high speed, all of which is beyond me but that's probably your morphing.

Rich was a UFO believer, private correspondence confirms this, as was his old boss Kelly Johnson, the founder of Area 51 and designer of the SR-71.

reply to post by Cosmic911


I do exactly know what you mean, I as well do often feel frustrated, when a much promising path finally leads me back to start again.

But there's a reason, that I haven't already put my search in this topic to rest:

Several years ago I saw something so strange, that keeps me still electrified about the UFO-topic. And it's that, that I saw an object glowing orange-purple, floating not high above in the sky, but in an altitude of just 50-60 feet above a local river.

My sighting lasted just a couple of seconds, but it was enough to make me believe, that there IS something out there, that might change everything...

I have no idea how much time it will take, but I'm pretty sure, one day we all will know, what it's really all about.

Originally posted by Gazrok

I find it highly unlikely that Ben would actually say these statements listed. He has elluded to Lockheeds Stealth Blimp and that little bit of information spouted out...really got him in trouble. I don't think he would be so stupid as to drop a bomb of this level.
Split Infinity

The thing is though...as the secret keepers get older, and closer to the final chapter, they start to feel a little untouchable, and some feel the need to tell others.

It's more rare than common, but it happens. Still though, my money is on, if he said it, it was really just disinfo to frighten our enemies.

In Rich's autobiography entitled "Skunk works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed," Rich is all business has he details his history and work on the SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117A stealth fighter. When the incredible SR-71 was making its 2000 mph developmental test runs across the western US, he mentions twice in the book that the test facilities would call ahead to NORAD and inform them that the radar returns they would be getting at such and such times of a fleeting craft would not a UFO, but of a secret test vehicle.

Make of it as you will.

Right, but that really means he was just identifying it for them, so they didn't go crazy trying to figure it out. That was a great book, and really gave you an inside look at how the programs developed.

edit on 5-10-2011 by Gazrok because: (no reason given)

As far as feeling UNTOUCHABLE....I don't think he would make that mistake or be so naive...but then again...he couldn't resist talking about the Stealth Blimp when he was being interviewed...AND PAID...for a UFO TV special...but then again...he could have had the green light to do this to smooth feelings of panic after the Phoenix fly over.

As far as what is in the book. IT'S A BOOK. I never trust what is in a book. Split Infinity

Lockheed "Skunk Works" former director knew the Roswell extraterrestrial UFO influenced designs of Testor model kits for Roswell UFO models, and U.S. top secret aircraft.
I can announce that he personally confirmed the design connection between the Roswell Spacecraft and the Lockheed Martin Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs)

I believe what credible individuals tell me, I don't ignore credible people. Some do.

Chief Ben Rich, father of the stealth fighter-bomber and former head of Lockheed Skunk Works -

'There are 2 types of UFOs -- the ones we build and ones 'they' build. We learned from both crash retrievals and actual "hand-me-downs."

Nearly all "biomorphic" aerospace designs were inspired by the Roswell spacecraft -- from Kelly's SR-71 Blackbird onward to today's drones, UCAVs, and aerospace craft…'

reply to post by greyer


I think this is a great topic. Intriguing and fascinating, especially if it was true. Rich was also quoted as saying we have hand-held medical scanners that can cure cancer, yet he died of cancer. Kinda weird, huh? It would have been nice if some of Rich's family could confirm these statements.

Originally posted by Peloquin

My sighting lasted just a couple of seconds, but it was enough to make me believe, that there IS something out there, that might change everything...

I have no idea how much time it will take, but I'm pretty sure, one day we all will know, what it's really all about.

The military-industrial complex will never release this info voluntarily.

While we hear rumors that the public "can't handle the truth", the facts are that these black programs command serious funding, personal power and career stability. Some people are saying the military is now consuming over 50% of our GDP. I don't know if that's true but it certainly would be in character.

Some nations are plagued by banking parasites. Some nations are plagued by elite parasites. We are being plagued by both of those and the pentagon parasites as well.

reply to post by jcarpenter

We are being plagued by both of those and the pentagon parasites as well.

You are more correct than you probably realize! Our defense budget is approximately $800 billion dollars! With probably 1/4 of that black budgeted. Our DoD budget is more than most nation's federal budget! That's insane. When the government doesn't want too many people looking into what their doing, they classify it as "Black Programs." No congressional oversight. Not responsible to us. They are draining this country.