Within Indonesia UFOs
Was Indonesia Ever Officially Studying UFOs?
Jacob Salatun gave Indonesian UFO study unusual prestige, but his role did not create a public state UAP archive.
On this page
- Salatun's aerospace status
- Books, notes, and civilian memory
- Why LAPAN and BRIN claims need care
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Introduction
Was Indonesia ever officially studying UFOs? The closest honest answer is: not in the way many people imagine, but closer than many countries in Southeast Asia. Indonesia never developed a publicly accessible government UFO archive, never announced a formal national programme comparable to the better-known American investigations, and never released a large body of military case files. Yet for decades, discussions of unidentified aerial phenomena in Indonesia were shaped by one unusually influential figure: Air Vice Marshal Jacob Salatun, a respected aerospace official and one of the founders of Indonesia’s national space and aeronautics institutions. [Wikipedia]WikipediaJacob SalatunJacob Salatun
Because Salatun held genuine standing inside Indonesia’s aviation and scientific establishment, UFOs acquired a semi-official aura that they rarely achieved elsewhere in the region. His books, lectures and study groups encouraged the idea that UFO reports deserved investigation as possible aerospace and security problems. At the same time, his prominence created a persistent misunderstanding: many later enthusiasts assumed Indonesia must have had a hidden or formal state UFO programme when the available evidence points instead to a respected individual operating at the boundary between official aerospace culture and civilian ufology. [Wikipedia]WikipediaJacob SalatunUFO: Salah Satu Masalah Dunia Masa Kini (1982). Referensi. sunting. Lompat ke…Read more… [The Jakarta Post]thejakartapost.comnot a cult ris biggest ufo community beta ufo weighs in on cia reportNot a cult: RI's biggest UFO-community BETA-UFO weighs…8 Jun 2021 — Jacob, who was a vice air marshal in the Indonesian air force, pio…
Salatun’s aerospace status gave UFOs unusual legitimacy
Jacob Salatun was not a fringe commentator. He was an Indonesian Air Force officer who rose to the rank of air vice marshal and became associated with the creation of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, widely known by its former acronym LAPAN. He also briefly served as Minister of Industry during the Sukarno era. [Wikipedia]WikipediaUFO sightings in IndonesiaUFO sightings in Indonesia
That background matters because Indonesia’s UFO tradition did not emerge primarily from occult groups, conspiracy publishers or tabloid culture. Instead, one of the country’s most visible advocates for taking UFO reports seriously was a man with credentials in aviation, national development and aerospace policy. This gave the subject a degree of prestige that outlasted him.
Salatun argued that UFOs should be studied not simply because they might involve extraterrestrial visitors, but because unexplained aerial reports could intersect with aviation safety, national security and technological questions. In a communication cited by later UFO researchers, he stated that the phenomenon deserved serious study for “sociology, technology, and security” reasons. [Wikipedia]WikipediaList of reported UFO sightingsList of reported UFO sightings
This framing is important because it resembles the language now used in modern UAP debates. Salatun was not presenting UFOs only as proof of alien life. He frequently treated them as a category of unexplained aerospace events that could have practical implications if even a small fraction of reports were accurate. [dokumen.pub]dokumen.pubUFO / UAP IN DEFENSE AND SECURITY PERSPECTIVESECURITY (AIR VICE-MARSHAL JACOB SALATUN) ❑UFO activities has been reported repeatedly distu…
The books that shaped Indonesian UFO culture
Salatun’s influence spread through publishing long before the internet era. His best-known UFO books include Menjingkap Rahasia Piring Terbang (“Revealing the Secret of Flying Saucers”), published in 1960, and UFO: Salah Satu Masalah Dunia Masa Kini (“UFO: One of the Present World Problems”), published in 1982. [Wikipedia]WikipediaFlying saucerFlying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported… [Wikipedia]WikipediaJacob SalatunJacob Salatun
These works became reference points for later Indonesian enthusiasts because they collected reports, discussed international UFO debates and attempted to place Indonesian cases within a wider global framework. Unlike many later online compilations, Salatun’s books appeared during a period when Indonesian aerospace development itself was becoming a national priority.
One reason his books remain influential is that they helped preserve cases that might otherwise have disappeared from public memory. Indonesian UFO history is fragmented: many reports survive only because they were repeated in later books, magazines or enthusiast archives. Salatun’s writings became one of the channels through which incidents from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s continued to circulate. [Wikipedia]WikipediaJacob SalatunUFO: Salah Satu Masalah Dunia Masa Kini (1982). Referensi. sunting. Lompat ke…Read more…
This preservation role, however, also creates a historical problem. When modern writers cite an old Indonesian UFO case, the chain of evidence often leads back to Salatun or to later authors who relied on him. That does not automatically make the report false, but it means independent verification is frequently difficult.
The Dwikora incident and the military connection
The case most strongly associated with Salatun is the so-called Dwikora UFO incident during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation in 1964.
According to accounts later published by Salatun, unidentified objects reportedly appeared over parts of East Java for several days. Witness descriptions included unusual lights and a dark object sometimes described as mango-shaped. Some versions of the story claim military personnel attempted to engage the objects with anti-aircraft fire. The reports became one of the most famous entries in Indonesian UFO literature because they linked the phenomenon directly to a period of military tension. [Warta Bulukumba]wartabulukumba.pikiran-rakyat.comWarta Bulukumba Tahukah Anda?Pionir peneliti UFO Indonesia adalah pendiri…1 Jul 2023 — Peristiwa 'UFO Dwikora' tahun 1964, TNI menembaki piring terbang di Surabaya…
For believers, the significance of the story is obvious: it appears to involve pilots, radar observations and military responses rather than a single civilian witness.
For historians, the problem is equally obvious. Publicly available documentation remains limited. The incident is known primarily through later retellings, UFO literature and secondary reporting rather than a large surviving collection of military records. The story therefore occupies an uncertain position in Indonesia’s UFO history: important, frequently repeated and culturally influential, but not supported by a transparent archive that would allow detailed reconstruction. [Wikipedia]WikipediaUFO sightings in IndonesiaUFO sightings in Indonesia
That tension captures much of Salatun’s legacy. He preserved stories that might otherwise have vanished, yet the evidence available to modern researchers is often far thinner than the stories’ later reputation suggests.
SUFOI and the emergence of a semi-official UFO tradition
Salatun’s influence extended beyond books. He also became associated with Studi UFO Indonesia, often abbreviated as SUFOI, an Indonesian UFO study organisation active during the late twentieth century. [Wikipedia]WikipediaList of reported UFO sightingsList of reported UFO sightings [The Jakarta Post]thejakartapost.comnot a cult ris biggest ufo community beta ufo weighs in on cia reportNot a cult: RI's biggest UFO-community BETA-UFO weighs…8 Jun 2021 — Jacob, who was a vice air marshal in the Indonesian air force, pio…
The existence of SUFOI is one reason some observers mistakenly conclude that Indonesia operated an official UFO bureau. The reality appears more complicated.
SUFOI benefited from Salatun’s stature and connections. Because its most prominent advocate was a senior aerospace figure, the organisation projected more institutional credibility than many civilian UFO groups elsewhere. Yet available evidence does not show that SUFOI functioned as a formal state agency with investigative powers, classified archives or a permanent government mandate. [Wikipedia]WikipediaFlying saucerFlying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported…
Instead, Indonesia developed what might be called a semi-official UFO tradition:
- UFO research was associated with a nationally respected aerospace figure.
- The topic occasionally intersected with aviation and security discussions.
- Civilian researchers could point to elite support for taking reports seriously.
- No large public government archive emerged from that interest.
- Most surviving records remained scattered across books, magazines, private collections and enthusiast networks. [academia]academia.eduUFO books, magazines, research materials and audio/video archive.Read moreAcademiaProceedings of the Sign Historical Group UFO History…113 Proceedings of the UFO History Workshop Indonesia: J.Salatun Communiq… This distinction is crucial for understanding Indonesia’s place within global UFO history. The country produced a recognised UFO advocate inside the aerospace establishment, but not a documented equivalent of a long-running state investigation programme.
Why LAPAN and BRIN claims require caution
Modern discussions frequently exaggerate the relationship between UFO research and Indonesia’s scientific institutions.
Because Salatun helped establish LAPAN, later writers sometimes imply that LAPAN itself conducted official UFO investigations. Available public evidence does not support that conclusion. Salatun’s personal interest in UFOs is well documented, but that is different from demonstrating that LAPAN operated a dedicated UFO office, maintained a public case database or endorsed extraterrestrial explanations. [Wikipedia]WikipediaFlying saucerFlying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported…
The same caution applies to claims involving BRIN, the National Research and Innovation Agency that absorbed LAPAN’s functions. Public discussion occasionally revives old UFO stories whenever Indonesian aerospace officials comment on extraterrestrial life, astronomy or unidentified phenomena. Yet these comments should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of an institutional UAP programme. [detikinet]inet.detik.comindonesia dan ufo rahasia komunikasi alien hingga teknologinyadetikinetIndonesia dan UFO, Rahasia Komunikasi Alien hingga…2 Jul 2023 — Eksklusif, detikINET membahas UFO dan alien bersama Kepala Le…
A useful rule is to separate three different things that are often merged together:
ClaimEvidence levelJacob Salatun personally took UFO reports seriouslyStrongSalatun promoted UFO study through books and organisationsStrongIndonesian aerospace institutions formally maintained a UFO investigation archiveWeak public evidenceIndonesia officially confirmed extraterrestrial craftNo credible public evidence
This distinction explains why Indonesia can appear unusually active in UFO discussions while still lacking the documentary record that researchers usually associate with official investigations.
How later UFO communities inherited Salatun’s image
Long after his death in 2012, Salatun remained the symbolic centre of Indonesian ufology. Modern groups such as BETA-UFO regularly cite him as a pioneering figure who treated the subject as worthy of investigation rather than ridicule. [VICE]vice.combertemu para pemburu ufo di indonesiaVICEBertemu Para Pemburu UFO di Indonesia23 Aug 2017 — Tak hanya itu, Salatun turut mendirikan Kelompok Studi UFO Indonesia, mempopulerka… [The Jakarta Post]thejakartapost.comThe Jakarta PostNot a cult: Indonesia's biggest UFO-community BETA…7 Jun 2021 — Nugy explained that even in the 1950s, Jacob had docum…
The Jakarta Post’s reporting on Indonesian UFO communities illustrates how his legacy continues to shape discussion. Enthusiasts frequently invoke Salatun when arguing that UFO reports deserve examination because a senior aerospace official once regarded them as a legitimate subject of inquiry. [The Jakarta Post]thejakartapost.comnot a cult ris biggest ufo community beta ufo weighs in on cia reportNot a cult: RI's biggest UFO-community BETA-UFO weighs…8 Jun 2021 — Jacob, who was a vice air marshal in the Indonesian air force, pio…
This cultural role may ultimately be more important than any individual sighting. In countries where UFOs remained entirely marginal, reports often vanished after a few news cycles. In Indonesia, Salatun helped create a framework in which sightings could be collected, discussed and remembered across generations.
That does not mean the underlying cases became better documented. It means they became part of a continuing national conversation.
What Indonesia’s “official UFO history” really amounts to
Indonesia’s UFO tradition is unusual because it revolves around a respected aerospace insider rather than a large body of released government records. Jacob Salatun gave the subject visibility, intellectual legitimacy and a connection to aviation institutions that few Southeast Asian countries possessed. [Wikipedia]WikipediaFlying saucerFlying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported…
Yet the historical record stops short of demonstrating a formal state UFO programme. The strongest evidence concerns Salatun himself: his books, his advocacy, his study groups and his belief that unexplained aerial reports deserved investigation. The weakest evidence concerns claims that Indonesian agencies secretly maintained extensive UFO archives or reached definitive conclusions about non-human craft. [Wikipedia]WikipediaFlying saucerFlying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported… [The Jakarta Post]thejakartapost.comThe Jakarta PostNot a cult: Indonesia's biggest UFO-community BETA…7 Jun 2021 — Nugy explained that even in the 1950s, Jacob had docum…
For that reason, Indonesia’s semi-official UFO tradition is best understood not as a hidden government project but as the long shadow of one influential aerospace figure. Salatun did not create a public archive comparable to the major UFO collections often discussed in Europe or North America. What he created instead was a durable idea: that unidentified aerial phenomena could be discussed as a serious national topic without automatically leaving the worlds of science, aviation and public policy. [Academia]academia.eduUFO books, magazines, research materials and audio/video archive.Read moreAcademiaProceedings of the Sign Historical Group UFO History…113 Proceedings of the UFO History Workshop Indonesia: J.Salatun Communiq…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Was Indonesia Ever Officially Studying UFOs?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects
Documents the realities and limits of official UFO study programmes.
American Cosmic
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Jacob Salatun
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Salatun -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Jacob Salatun
Link: https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_SalatunSource snippet
UFO: Salah Satu Masalah Dunia Masa Kini (1982). Referensi. sunting. Lompat ke...Read more...
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Source: vice.com
Title: bertemu para pemburu ufo di indonesia
Link: https://www.vice.com/id/article/bertemu-para-pemburu-ufo-di-indonesia/Source snippet
VICEBertemu Para Pemburu UFO di Indonesia23 Aug 2017 — Tak hanya itu, Salatun turut mendirikan Kelompok Studi UFO Indonesia, mempopulerka...
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Source: academia.edu
Title: UFO books, magazines, research materials and audio/video archive.Read more
Link: https://www.academia.edu/69518005/Proceedings_of_the_Sign_Historical_Group_UFO_History_WorkshopSource snippet
AcademiaProceedings of the Sign Historical Group UFO History...113 Proceedings of the UFO History Workshop Indonesia: J.Salatun Communiq...
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Source: dokumen.pub
Link: https://dokumen.pub/ufo-uap-in-defense-and-security-perspective.htmlSource snippet
UFO / UAP IN DEFENSE AND SECURITY PERSPECTIVESECURITY (AIR VICE-MARSHAL JACOB SALATUN) ❑UFO activities has been reported repeatedly distu...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: UFO sightings in Indonesia
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_sightings_in_Indonesia -
Source: dokumen.pub
Link: https://dokumen.pub/islamic-theology-and-extraterrestrial-life-new-frontiers-in-science-and-religion-9780755650880-9780755650927.htmlSource snippet
He also published several books on UFOs, including Uncovering the Secret of Flying Saucers...Read more...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of reported UFO sightings
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reported_UFO_sightings -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Flying saucer
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_saucerSource snippet
Flying saucerThe shape became visual shorthand for alien invaders. During the 1960s, saucers waned in popularity as UFOs were reported...
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Source: dokumen.pub
Link: https://dokumen.pub/indonesian-ufo-contact-cases-database-version-09-draft-raw-english-translation.htmlSource snippet
The description of Mr. Salatun and other witnesses, is identical to the UFO that I...Read more...
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Source: thejakartapost.com
Title: not a cult ris biggest ufo community beta ufo weighs in on cia report
Link: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/06/08/not-a-cult-ris-biggest-ufo-community-beta-ufo-weighs-in-on-cia-report.htmlSource snippet
Not a cult: RI's biggest UFO-community BETA-UFO weighs...8 Jun 2021 — Jacob, who was a vice air marshal in the Indonesian air force, pio...
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Source: wartabulukumba.pikiran-rakyat.com
Title: Warta Bulukumba Tahukah Anda?
Link: https://wartabulukumba.pikiran-rakyat.com/literatur/pr-876835794/tahukah-anda-pionir-peneliti-ufo-indonesia-adalah-pendiri-lapan?page=allSource snippet
Pionir peneliti UFO Indonesia adalah pendiri...1 Jul 2023 — Peristiwa 'UFO Dwikora' tahun 1964, TNI menembaki piring terbang di Surabaya...
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Source: inet.detik.com
Title: indonesia dan ufo rahasia komunikasi alien hingga teknologinya
Link: https://inet.detik.com/science/d-6802052/indonesia-dan-ufo-rahasia-komunikasi-alien-hingga-teknologinyaSource snippet
detikinetIndonesia dan UFO, Rahasia Komunikasi Alien hingga...2 Jul 2023 — Eksklusif, detikINET membahas UFO dan alien bersama Kepala Le...
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Source: thejakartapost.com
Link: https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2021/06/07/not-a-cult-indonesias-biggest-ufo-community-beta-ufo-weighs-in-on-cia-report.htmlSource snippet
The Jakarta PostNot a cult: Indonesia's biggest UFO-community BETA...7 Jun 2021 — Nugy explained that even in the 1950s, Jacob had docum...
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Source: ufoconnect.com
Link: https://ufoconnect.com/journalist-profile/jacob-salatun/
Additional References
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Source: cia.gov
Link: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp81r00560r000100010001-0Source snippet
THE NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE ON...Blue Book UFO investigation, prepared analyses of UFO data for AF, liaison officer between Da...
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Source: internationalflyingsaucerbureau.com
Link: https://www.internationalflyingsaucerbureau.com/list-of-reported-ufo-sightings/Source snippet
List of reported UFO sightingsDwikora Operation UFO incident, AS, Surabaya, Indonesia, Officer Jacob Salatun—founder of the National Inst...
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Source: slideshare.net
Link: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/ufo-phenomenon/78402225Source snippet
UFO Phenomenon | PDF... Indonesia. Salatun observed UFO phenomena in Indonesia. 21. UFOs exist—expert totell Adam Malik New Nation, 12 De...
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Source: kuyou.id
Link: https://kuyou.id/homepage/read/13988/sara-wijayanto-dan-wisnu-hardana-keturunan-jacob-salatun-sang-pendiri-lapan-gaes-ini-faktanyaSource snippet
Sara Wijayanto dan Wisnu Hardana Keturunan Jacob...23 Sept 2020 — Selain kariernya yang cemerlang di Indonesia, Jacob Salatun juga perna...
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Source: scmp.com
Title: ufo fans indonesia why extraterrestrial life should be taken seriously
Link: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3050459/ufo-fans-indonesia-why-extraterrestrial-life-should-be-taken-seriouslySource snippet
South China Morning PostUFO fans in Indonesia on why extraterrestrial life should be...16 Feb 2020 — Just 13,000 strong, Indonesian Face...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXOa_MRDHNJ/?hl=enSource snippet
hananya bener. Ini dia membahayakan atau tidak sih sebenarnya buat...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/HiddenFactsss/posts/in-the-waters-near-natuna-indonesia-a-mysterious-object-was-spotted-resembling-a/1648286753964624/Source snippet
t that says 'Mysterious Starfish-Like UFO Spotted In.Read more...
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Source: uapf.substack.com
Title: the ufo indonesia gifted to the cia
Link: https://uapf.substack.com/p/the-ufo-indonesia-gifted-to-the-ciaSource snippet
UFO Indonesia Gifted To The CIALong before today's UAP vocabulary, Indonesia had its own serious voices on the subject. Among the most im...
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Source: secretprojects.co.uk
Title: marine ufo indonesia 2009.41646
Link: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/marine-ufo-indonesia-2009.41646/Source snippet
Marine UFO Indonesia 20099 Jun 2023 — The 4,000 mph acceleration part of the story is likely just him guessing or being metaphorical (or...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: The truth is out there
Link: https://www.facebook.com/HISTORYasia/posts/the-x-files-said-it-best-the-truth-is-out-therewhen-you-think-of-extraterrestria/10159738974453754/Source snippet
When you think of extraterrestrial sightings...Salatun was an Indonesia Air Force 3-star officer and is credited as being the father of...
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