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CIA-UAP-003, The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

Central Intelligence Agency · 1954 · 406 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is a Secret History Staff monograph by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach of the Central Intelligence Agency, published in 1992. It gives a history of the CIA's manned overhead reconnaissance program from 1954 to 1974, covering the development and operation of the U-2 and the A-12 OXCART aircraft. It covers overflights of the Soviet Union, the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers, and later operations. One section is titled "U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK."

From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.

  • p. 143 …Air Force contract to evaluate ra dars, EG&G operated a small testing facility at Indian…
  • p. 244 …Then in August 1964, following the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Air Force assumed responsibility for…
  • p. 381 …232 Indian Springs, Nevada 274. 130, 132 Indonesia 211-212, 214,319 Indonesian Air Force 212…
206
Secret NOFORN
Chapter 5
that had been placed on U-2 overflights of Cuba, DCI McCone told
the Special Group on 4 October 1962 that their policy of avoiding
SAM sites had restricted the Agency to using the U-2 only in Cuba's
southeastern quadrant. He questioned "whether this was a reasonable
restriction at this time, particularly since the SAM's were almost cer
tainly not operational." 11 The Special Group then requested the
preparation of an overall program for reconnaissance of Cuba in time
for its next meeting on 9 October.
In the meantime, C[A U-2s continued the reconnaissance pro
gram that the Special Group had approved in September. In early
October two peripheral missions-3098 along the southeastern coast
on 5 October and 3100 along the northern coast on 7 October (see
map on page 203)-discovered an additional five SAM sites. This
brought the total to 19, but there was still no evidence of sur
face-to-surface missiles.
Evidence was mounting that the portion of Cuba that the
September and early October missions had avoided was the most
likely location for Soviet medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs).
On 6 October 1962, the Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance rec
ommended frequent and regular coverage of Cuba, pointing in partic
ular to the need for renewed coverage of western Cuba:
The absence of coverage of the western end since August 29,
coupled with the rate of construction we have observed, means
that there may well be many more sites now being built of which
we are una;vare. Ground observers have in several recent in
stances reported sightings of what they believe to be the SS-4
(SHYSTER) MRBM in Cuba. These reports must be confirmed or
denied hy photo coverage.,: Attached to this memorandum was a
list of targets, ~vith the area around San Cristobal at the top.
On 9 October the Special Group met to discuss COMOR's rec
ommendations, the most important of which was a U-2 flight over the
.. suspect MRBM site as soon as weather permits." This mission was
also designed to pass over one of the SA-2 sites that was thought to
be most nearly operational in order to determine the status of SA-2
" Minutes of the Special Group meeting. 4 October 1962. in Memorandum for DC!
:\lcCone from J. S. Earman. Inspector General, ··Handling of Raw Intelligence
Information During the Cuban Arms Buildup." 20 November 1962, DC! records, job
80-B- 1676R. box I 7 (TS Codeword).
" Lehman Report. p. 30 (TS Codc::word).
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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.