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

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.

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Chapter 5
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in. The staging base in this case was Ta Khli, Thailand. These flights U-2 photography of Typhoon
did not go unnoticed; on 13 September 1959, Hong Kong's China Winnie, July 1958
Post published a story headlined "U-2 of USAF Said Reconnoit,ering
Red China at Unreachable Altitude."~
U-2Cs for Detachment C
Late in l 958, Lockheed began refitting the Agency's 13 remaining
U-2s with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J75/P-13 jet engine.
The first of these U-2Cs arrived at Detachment C in the summer of
1959. During a test flight of this aircraft (article 360) on 24
September 1959, the pilot decided to set a new altitude re,:ord.
" Ibid.. chap. 18. pp. 6-7, 12; chap. 15. p. 29 (TS Codeword).
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