1977 · Near Chaumont, Haute-Marne, France
A Mirage IV paced near Chaumont

From the accounts: a bright light paced a French Mirage IV bomber near Chaumont on 7 March 1977, turned and came back (Cdt Giraud and Capt. Abraham, via COMETA). · Illustration for uaptrail.com
When7 March 1977
WhereNear Chaumont, Haute-Marne, France
Backing1 independent
Evidencedocuments
On 7 March 1977 the crew of a French Air Force Mirage IV bomber near Chaumont, pilot Commandant Giraud and navigator Captain Jean-Paul Abraham, were paced by a bright light that turned and came back toward them; the pilot sensed 'a large mass'. Contrexéville radar saw nothing. The COMETA report of 1999 lists it among its military cases.
Evidence, in date order (1)
- 1999COMETA report (1999), p. 9documentlists the encounter among its military cases COMETA
How plausible · High
Two named French Air Force aircrew, listed by the COMETA report; radar not seeing it doesn't count against them.
- ●●Access Pilot and navigator of the bomber.
- ●●No gain sought Nothing sold.
- ●●Character record Air Force officers.
- ●○Cost of speaking Named officers.
- ●○Restraint "A large mass" as a feeling, not a claim.
- ●○Independent convergence Two crew together.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
Claims
A bright light paced the bomber, turned and came back; the pilot felt 'une masse importante'.firsthandSourced, unconfirmedCdt Giraud (pilot) and Capt. Jean-Paul Abraham (navigator), via COMETA and VSD
Where
Near Chaumont, Haute-Marne, France
48.1°N 5.1°E