Jodhpur airport egg UFO.

[Mendel]

The Wikipedia article List of Indian Air Force Stations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_Air_Force_stations) lists Jodhpur AFS under South Western Air Command

I've looked at two other large bases from that list, in the hopes of happening on another egg, but those bases had more hangar space and less junk outside.

 

[John J.]

Imagery from the 2nd article actually places it on the test stand:
Article:

Now, the very first pic of this UFO is from 2015, and in this pic it's on this very same elevator platform

: Source: https://vesavanhatupa.substack.com/p/jodhpur-airport-ufo-analysis

Looking back through the Google Earth historical images, I don't think the circle is an elevator platform like Vesa, the blog's author, suggests.
Sometimes it's grey, sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's absent. Probably a temporary ground marking.

I'm starting to wonder if @B. Keeper / @FastIndy's conjecture about the yard being some sort of test/ calibration area is correct.
"Interesting" objects get put on the circular marking and the chevrons get deployed for some reason.
To me, the chevrons give the impression of being some sort of portable barriers, not temporary ground markings, but this could well be wrong.

 

[JMartJr]

I've looked at two other large bases from that list, in the hopes of happening on another egg, but those bases had more hangar space and less junk outside.

Also, reporting negative results for searching a couple of Pakistani air bases and an AF training school.

 

[NorCal Dave]

Also, reporting negative results for searching a couple of Pakistani air bases and an AF training school.

Me too. I wonder if the 3 of us are enough to create a "trend" on Google about IAF bases

 

[Smythe Bacchus]

Whatever it is it seems to have been built on that site under a temporary structure with a blue canopy around 2013.

This photo was taken 2013-02-09 when the egg was under the blue canopy.

Source: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7576768

The side with the small black circle is probably the underneath, and you can see two other marks which might be the places where legs should be attached.

The JetPhotos image reveals the original stand design which apparently lines up with the two parallel marks visible in satellite views of the egg underside.

If it were in use, there'd be some kind of steps allowing access to the device.

This takeoff video uploaded 2020-09-26 provides a higher viewing angle.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvEjUR1lNqc&t=59s

Zoom of timestamp 01:00 reveals a ladder and a different stand design.

Looking back through the Google Earth historical images, I don't think the circle is an elevator platform like Vesa, the blog's author, suggests. Sometimes it's grey, sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's absent. Probably a temporary ground marking.

I'm starting to wonder if @B. Keeper / @FastIndy's conjecture about the yard being some sort of test/ calibration area is correct.

After quite a bit of digging, I have identified this as a DRDO facility for radar cross-section (RCS) measurement. The grey platform is for rotating the target.

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is under the Ministry of Defence. This facility being the Near-Field Diagnostic RCS Facility (NFDRF) part of Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (DLJ).

This is an RCS Range for Static RCS measurements (over 2-18 GHz) and Diagnostic Imaging of full-scale aircraft and other systems. The facility features a Precision Turntable of 40 ton rating, precision antenna positioners, and microwave instrumentation and data acquisition systems for RCS measurements.

The egg is probably being used as an RCS target for measurement, possibly for calibration, or a long running R&D study (not unusual for defence projects).

 

[John J.]

The egg is probably being used as an RCS target for measurement, possibly for calibration, or a long running R&D study (not unusual for defence projects).

Good find re. the Near-Field Diagnostic RCS Facility (NFDRF)/ Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (DLJ).

So it's probably something to do with the electromagneggtic spectrum.

More seriously, maybe objects with a similar role (whatever that might be) have been misidentified elsewhere?
I'm reminded of the "egg" which featured in the backstory of Ross Coulthart's claim of having found a patch/ insignia of an Area 51 UFO reverse engineering unit (thread Ross Coulthart Shows Patch Claimed of "Reverse Engineering Program at Area 51):

The craft was described as an egg shape about the size of an SUV, completely smooth and seamless, with no control surfaces or obvious method of propulsion. Two men could lift it, yet it was impossible to cut open and the craft could not be penetrated by x-rays.

-Posted by @Mendel, quoting Reddit user _the_lady_of_shalott describing Coulthart's story (here).

If this was actually a similar bit of kit to the Indian egg, it would still take some substantial misunderstanding or embellishment to come up with the description above. Maybe the "...could not be penetrated by x-rays" is a garbled memory / account by someone who had seen a radar calibration egg (or the US equivalent of whatever the Indian egg is) and heard something about its use, but wasn't directly involved with it and wasn't employed in a relevant technical capacity (e.g. not a radar engineer).
It might be relevant that the claimed witness was apparently told about the egg, and later saw a photo of it, but didn't see it in person.

@Charlie Wiser found (this post) that the origin of the story was the late Sam Urquhart, via his grand nephew Eric Taber:

Taber describes Urquhart's job as radar cross-section testing...

(my emphasis), and

"He was head of security for his engineering group, and a data configuration specialist. His group did radar cross-section testing."

Eric Taber describing his great uncle Sam Urquhart's role, Daily Mail 11 December 2023, also via Charlie.
The engineering group was from defence contractor EE&G.
Before EE&G, Mr Urquhart retired as a USAF Sergeant, 1st Class, after 28 year's service. If he were head of security for his engineering group, maybe he wasn't directly involved in the minutiae of the technical aspects of the radar work (although where "data configuration specialist" fits in I don't know; and in some settings senior NCOs are very technically adept).

@NorCal Dave posted part of a Department of Defense memo confirming that Taber spoke with ARRO, and broadly describing Urquhart's employment with EE&G 1997-2014. He also found this quote from Taber,

'My great uncle would collect radar data, and bring it into secure vaults to catalog and store it,' Taber said. 'He was in one of these secure data vault storage rooms in the main control building, nicknamed the Taj Mahal, when on the wall he saw an up-close crystal-clear color photograph of the exact same object that the senior engineer had discussed.'

I'm wondering if maybe "the senior engineer" or someone else used a photo of something similar to the Indian egg- perhaps a device or a shell (no pun intended*) for a device involved in radar cross-section testing- to pull Mr Urquhart's leg.

Before (AFAIK) any discussion about the Indian egg by UFO enthusiasts/ sceptics,, Mr Taber (Urquhart's great nephew) described the role of the Area 51 EE&G engineering team that Urquhart worked for as

...radar cross section testing

and a few hours ago @Smythe Bacchus usefully told us

After quite a bit of digging, I have identified this as a DRDO facility for radar cross-section (RCS) measurement.
...The egg is probably being used as an RCS target for measurement, possibly for calibration, or a long running R&D study (not unusual for defence projects).

It might be a coincidence that the Indian egg is probably used in RCS research, and that Urquhart was told stories about an amazing egg- of which he later, by chance**, saw a photo- while working for a team involved in RCS research, but if so, it's a fun one.


* ...Well, maybe it was.
**In the storage vaults where he routinely went to deposit the team's data. After being told about the mysterious egg by a senior engineer.

 

[JMartJr]

Just an interesting image found while looking for "radar cross section testing egg."

Image source: http://www.hisutton.com/China-Radar-Cross-Section-Base.html

It looks somewhat similar, and though I am not qualified to identify the bits of equipment and stuff around the "eggs" in each picture, they seem much of a kind...

 

[Mendel]

I'm reminded of the "egg" which featured in the backstory of Ross Coulthart's claim of having found a patch/ insignia of an Area 51 UFO reverse engineering unit (thread Ross Coulthart Shows Patch Claimed of "Reverse Engineering Program at Area 51):

Yes. See https://www.metabunk.org/threads/ro...ineering-program-at-area-51.13109/post-299041 , https://www.metabunk.org/threads/ro...ineering-program-at-area-51.13109/post-301192 , and click on "View attachment 62309" or see https://www.metabunk.org/threads/on...uite-nothing-burgers.13060/page-3#post-301175 for the photo.

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

Been skimming satellite views of air force bases and test ranges in the US to see if I could find something similar to this. Not a lot of luck so far. But I did find this thing sitting on the tarmac at Hill AFB right next to a real jet (41°06'51"N 111°58'16"W). My first guess is that it is for training pilots. Like a training cockpit or something. Maybe a component being repaired but I feel like it looks too stripped down to be that.

Also found this wedge shaped thing that has been sitting in a field/parking lot next to the Holloman AFB high speed test track (32°53'18"N 106°08'41"W) since 2003/2004. Maybe was at one point used for aerodynamics tests? There is also what looks like a museum type display across the street from this. Statically positioned vehicles/missiles next to the parking lot that look like they are mounted for display.

 

[JMartJr]

Like a training cockpit or something. Maybe a component being repaired but I feel like it looks too stripped down to be that.

Given distortions elsewhere in the image, I guess associated with building the 3D imagery, I suspect it might be just a regular plane.

Also found this wedge shaped thing that has been sitting in a field/parking lot next to the Holloman AFB high speed test track (32°53'18"N 106°08'41"W) since 2003/2004.

Interesting, probably is NOT the prop spaceship from "Planet of the Apes" but it looks somewhat like it... but kidding aside,

There is also what looks like a museum type display across the street from this. Statically positioned vehicles/missiles next to the parking lot that look like they are mounted for display.

Yeah, you can get some interesting stuff on the grounds of a air museum...

Omaka Air Heritage Center museum, photo by author... LINK: https://www.omaka.org.nz/

It's amazing, ain't it, how much of it is NOT evidence of UFOs!

 

[MonkeeSage]

I thought I had a hit at Bikaner Air Force Station for an oval white object with a black triangular "window".

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4CWSwPgbUHRkhXjv6

But looking at Apple Maps and ArcgGIS it just looks like a cleared area of ground/cement pad that had a dark marking (possibly faded now, or perhaps recently repainted?). The google maps image is supposedly from 2025 and the ArcGIS one is from 2024.

I also found what look like some fuselages of some kind with the wings removed, at Chandigarh Air Force Station.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QxKxbR6X2xkzJgGU6

 

[NorCal Dave]

I also found what look like some fuselages of some kind with the wings removed, at Chandigarh Air Force Station.

View attachment 80087
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QxKxbR6X2xkzJgGU6

Maybe Mi-24 Hind helicopters with rotors and winglets removed?

The Indian air force operates them.

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

Given distortions elsewhere in the image, I guess associated with building the 3D imagery, I suspect it might be just a regular plane.

Though there are distortions in some spots, given the shadow and ground and different angles on it I don't think the one on the left here is a regular plane.

Yeah, you can get some interesting stuff on the grounds of a air museum...

Omaka Air Heritage Center museum, photo by author... LINK: https://www.omaka.org.nz/

This reminds me of a rocket display I've been past a few times in the tiny town of Warren, NH, which apparently is there because someone thought it'd be fun to buy a retired Army rocket and put it in the middle of town, and the Army said okay.

According to Galli, Warren native Ted Asselin, an Army sergeant, was stationed on Redstone in 1970. He found several Redstones in a field; the engines, guidance systems and other components had been removed.

"He thought it'd be pretty cool to have it here," Galli said. New Hampshire native Alan Shepard had gone into space atop a Redstone and Asselin thought it would be educational to have the rocket in Warren.

So, after getting permission from Army officials to take one of the rockets – at his own expense, he got the help of a couple friends and borrowed a truck and 60-foot trailer to haul the rocket north.

Source: https://www.theredstonerocket.com/news/article_1d502fa8-0841-11ed-8d81-bbb1d8d329d0.html