Memorial Tribute to Francis Lee Ridge
By Steve Foss, MUFON Regional Director for the Middle East
Cincinnati, OH, Feb 23, 2026 -- Francis ‘Fran’ Ridge passed away on January 20, 2026. He was born on October 13, 1942 in Vincennes, Indiana, and married Carolyn June (Walls) Ridge. Together they raised a family of four children and eight grandchildren and at least four great grandchildren. Fran was a Pioneer of Instrumented UFO Research and Founder of the MADAR Project (1942–2026). See: https://www.theufochronicles.com/2026/02/memorial-tribute-to-francis-lee-ridge.html?m=1
The MADAR Project, the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), and the broader UFO research community honor the life and legacy of Francis Lee Ridge. His contributions reshaped the landscape of civilian UFO investigation and established a scientific foundation that will guide researchers for generations.
Francis Ridge was more than an investigator—he was a builder of systems, a guardian of data integrity, and a visionary who believed that the mysteries of the sky deserved disciplined, instrument‑based study. His work spanned more than six decades, during which he elevated UFO research from anecdotal reporting to structured and measurable analysis.
Fran’s position statement as quoted in his book CAP-POINT (2021): “There is no doubt that most UFOs are actually IFOs. For the subset of events that cannot be explained, there is a group of sightings that demonstrate solid objects under intelligent control. I am convinced that these objects are somebody else’s craft. Although I cannot prove that the intelligence behind the phenomena is ET in nature, I consider the ETH to be the least unlikely. I also feel that there is a nuclear connection (or one that indicates a cause-and-effect relationship with serious world events that could lead to a nuclear threat)”.
As the creator and architect of MADAR (Multiple Anomaly Detection and Automated Recording), Francis introduced a revolutionary concept: that UFO events could be correlated with real‑time environmental anomalies captured by a distributed network of sensors. What began as a single experimental station grew into a global system of synchronized nodes, each contributing to a unified scientific effort. His leadership, patience, and technical insight transformed MADAR into one of the most respected instrumentation projects in the field. At present, more than 350 nodes have been placed worldwide.
*Through the years:
1960-1971 - Headed a 7-man investigation team in Indiana for the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, or NICAP. It was designated Indiana Unit 1.
1970 - Began work on a basic UFO detection system that he designed in 1960.
1971 – Conducted private UFO Geographical Distribution Research (GDR) in Villa Grove, Illinois, and laid groundwork for MADAR
1972 – Accepted position of State-Section Director for MUFON. Continued geographical studies of the 9-state area under GDR Project.
1973 – Set up research and investigation team under MUFON which included the massive 1973 sighting wave (Flap), set up “saucer grapevine” with scattered observers, police, sheriff, and state police, airport control tower and Civil Defense with a monthly bulletin and a published telephone number and media coverage. Set up UFO FILTER CENTER. Created the name MADAR for the improved detection device, implemented, operated and directed the MADAR Project.
1986 – With the help of his first computer, continued work on the database for GDR work which listed over 4,000 entries for the region covering Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Became Indiana’s MUFON State Director and FI for the Center for UFO Studies. Set up State Directors, and trained 150 potential field investigators in Indiana’s 92 counties. His Indiana rapid deployment team of about 30 investigated hundreds of cases.
1994 - Published first book on UFOs, “Regional Encounters: The (UFO) Filter Center Files”. Was introduced to the internet, Dan Wilson and the Project Blue Book “gems”, and Jean Waskiewicz. Together they did serious work on very important UFO documents which were placed on the new website called NICAP InterLink.
1997 – Always very interested in Astronomy and the moon, created The Lunascan Project. This was a serious study of the moon and LTPs (Lunar Transient Phenomena) with an Earth-Based Telescopic Imaging program to document LTPs and “fast walkers”.
2003 – Set up a project with a special team to study and catalog nuclear connection cases. Website was online and the Nuclear Connection Project was born.
2006 – Suggested a re-investigation of the “explained case”, the Mantell Incident. Within two years the case had been upgraded to an “Unknown” and his team’s report, “The Mantell Incident” The Anatomy of an Investigation / A 60-year-old cover-up” was released.
2010 – An amazing discovery! MADAR records for 1977 showed a correlation between MADAR-15 and the famous WOW! Signal.
2011 – Created TCCM (Telescope & Crew Control Module”, the “Moon buggy” van, for studying the moon using the latest imaging technology.
2013 – After a health scare, finished memoirs, did a screenplay on Roswell for his offspring, and created much needed lunar far side charts.
2014- MADAR-II kicked off with new technology.
2016 Conceived of new MADAR device, MADAR-III Dataprobe, an affordable and miniaturized detection and data recording system.
2016 – Paracelsus C. Ridge stumbled across a high-res Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter image of what appears to be a set of manmade or modified structures or unusual natural features. The Lunascape team of Ridge, Sirisena and Carlotto produced reports and submitted their findings to NASA and EAS to investigate with a lander on the lunar far side.
2018 – MADAR-III world-wide system went operational in May with 22 sites in the US (mostly). Within 3 months there were 140 operational sites.
2021 – Published “CAP-POINT / A series of staggering events with global implications for everyone on planet earth.
2018 – Setup Project Match with MUFON, an alliance set up to find correlations using MADAR data and MUFON submitted cases.
To date, MADAR has proven to be the only UFO Detection Device to measure and archive data for use in conducting investigations on past events. Fran was actively working on new additions to the data collection till his last day with us.
Within MUFON, Francis was known for his unwavering commitment to accuracy, professionalism, and methodological rigor. He mentored investigators, collaborated across state and national boundaries, and championed the idea that UFO research must be grounded in verifiable evidence. His colleagues remember him as a steady, principled figure whose quiet determination inspired confidence and respect.
Francis Ridge leaves behind a legacy defined by innovation, integrity, and a lifelong pursuit of truth. His work continues through the MADAR network, the investigators he trained, and the countless researchers who rely on the standards he helped establish. His passing marks the end of an era, but his influence remains deeply woven into the fabric of modern UFO investigation.
It has been my honor to know and to assist Fran with the MADAR Project for two years. I regret that I did not spend more time conversing with Fran, as every moment with him was a personal experience, not just dialog or business. He always brought energy and humor. It was obvious to all who knew him of the deep love he had for his family. He will be profoundly missed—and always remembered.
Let’s keep Fran’s contributions alive! So much data is lost over decades and it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are some of Fran’s Project Websites:
https://www.nicap.org/gsid.htm ((global sighting information database)
https://www.nicap.org/ncp.htm (THE Nuclear Connection Home Page)
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