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

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34
Sec, et NOFORN
Chapter 1
The letter had two attachments: a two-page summary of a com­
plete operational plan for organizing, building, and deploying the
CL-282 within a period of 20 months at a cost of $22 million and a
three-page memorandum, entitled "A Unique Opportunity for
Comprehensive Intelligence."
Aware of Dulles's preference for classical intelligence work, the
Project Three memorandum stressed the superi.ori.ty of the CL-282
program over traditional espionage methods:
We believe that these planes can go where we need to have them
go efficiently and safely, and that no amount offragmentary and
indirect intelligence can be pieced together to be equivalent to
such positive information as can thus be provided. 60
The Land committee memorandum also stressed the need for the
CIA to undertake such reconnaissance missions rather than the Air
Force, noting that "For the present it seems rather dangerous for one
of our military arms to engage directly in extensive overflight." The
committee members also listed the advantages of using the CL-282
rather than an Air Force aircraft:
The Lockheed super glider will fly at 70,000 feet, well out of the
reach ofpresent Russian interceptors and high enough to have a
good chance of avoiding detection. The plane itself is so light
(15,000 pounds), so obviously unarmed and devoid of military
usefulness, that it would minimize affront to the Russians even if
through some remote mischance it were detected and identi­
fied_ 61
One additional advantage of the Lockheed design over the Air
Force's proposed high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft was a faster
completion time. Kelly Johnson had promised the Land committee
that his aircraft would be flying by August 1955, just eight months
after he proposed to start construction. The Bell X-16 prototype was
not scheduled for completion before the spring of 1956.
The strong advocacy of Killian and the other scientists on the
various advisory committees concerned with overhead reconnais­
sance, combined with President Eisenhower's support, finally won
"'' Memorandum for DCI Allen F. Dulles from Project Three Panel, "A Unique
Opportunity for Comprehensive Intelligence," 5 November 1954, p. 3 (TS, downgraded to
S) in OSA History, chap. I, annex I (TS Codeword).
•• Ibid.
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