in addition, samford stated that the unknown radar contacts were not caused by solid material objects, and therefore posed no threat to national security. in response to a question as to whether the air force had recorded similar ufo radar contacts prior to the washington incident, samford said that there had been "hundreds" of such contacts where air force fighter interceptions had taken place, but stated they were all "fruitless." the conference proved to be successful "in getting the press off our backs", ruppelt later wrote.