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

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295
Sect et NOFORN
Chapter 6
these aircraft were hastily flown to Edwards Air Force Base. From
this point on, the Air Force versions of the OXCART were based at
Edwards and provided a diversion so that the faster and higher flying
A- l 2s at the Nevada site could continue testing out of the public eye.
The President's announcement did not mention the CIA's in­
volvement in the project, which remained classified, but keeping the
Agency's extensive role in the OXCART a secret was not an easy task.
The first step had been to separate the Air Force's versions of the A-12
from the Agency's by moving the Air Force aircraft to California.
Next, those firms that were to be given the new technology had to be
briefed on the program and agree to abide by the same secrecy agree­
ments then in force with Lockheed. Moreover, everyone witting of
OXCART (including those no longer associated with the program,
such as Allen Dulles, Richard Bissell, and General Cabell) had been
briefed about the impending Presidential announcement, so that they
would not think that the need for secrecy about OXCART had ended .....
The process of surfacing versions of the OXCART continued on
. 25.J uly 1964. when President Johnson revealed the existence of a new
Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, which he called the SR-71.
Actually. the President was supposed to say RS-71 (for ··reconnais­
sance-strike"). Deciding that renaming the aircraft was easier than
correcting President Johnson. the Air Force invented a new category­
"strategic reconnaissance"-to explain the SR-7l's designation.
ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS DURING FINAL TESTING
The first A-12 crash occurred on 24 May 1963, when a detachment
pilot, realizing the airspeed indication was confusing and erroneous,
decided to eject. The pilot was unhurt, but the plane was destroyed
when it crashed near Wendover, Utah. A cover story for the press de­
scribed the plane as an F-105. All A-l 2s were grounded for a week
while the accident was investigated. The malfunction was found to be
caused by ice that had plugged up a pitot-static tube used to determine
.
d ~5
atrspee . •
.. OSr\ Hi~wry, chap. 20. p. 76 (TS Cod~word).
'' Ibid.. pp. 69-70 (TS Codeword).
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