The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

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244
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Chapter 5
Overflights by Project TACKLE
Fiscal Year
Overflights
Total
104
1961
18
1963
17
1964
13
1965
30
1966
10
1967
14
1968
1
Peripheral Missions by Detachment H
Detachment H did not cease its activities following the termination
of overflights of mainland China. Its next U-2 mission took place on
18 May 1968. This was an electronic intelligence mission that, in ac­
cordance with the new guidelines, never came closer than 20 miles to
the Chinese coast. All future Detachment H missions against the
PRC also conformed with this restriction but were still the target of
interception attempts by PRC MiG-2ls or hastily erected SAM sites
on offshore islands. The use of peripheral missions prevented any
further losses, although one aircraft crashed into the sea from un­
known causes shortly after taking off to start a mission on 5 January
1969. Another pilot was killed on 24 November 1970 in a crash dur­
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mg a routine training m1ss10n.
The level of activity gradually increased during the remaining
years of Project TACKLE, as can be seen in the table on page 245.
The U-2s flying these missions were generally equipped with the
B or the newly designed 48-inch H cameras to obtain oblique pho­
tography and with various signal-intelligence-gathering systems.
Beginning in May 1971, Project TACKLE began using a new com­
munications-intelligence collection package known as
LONG
SHAFT. This system was used on 32 occasions through 12 December
1973, when the LONG SHAFT collection program ended.
"" ·•oftice of Special Activities History. April 1969 to Phase-Out." (draft: hereafter cited
as "OSA History-2") (CIA: DS&T, 1974). chap. 3. pp. 36-41 (TS Codeword).
Secret