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
supplying the Nationalist Chinese Government with the most ad
vanced reconnaissance aircraft available, the U-2. The C[A opposed a
Nationalist Chinese U-2 program because such flights would des.troy
the existing unclassified cover for the U-2. In discussions with the, Air
Force, DDCI Cabell only consented to having Nationalist p.ilots
trained to fly U-2s so that they would be ready in case they were
needed in the future; he opposed any Nationalist overflights. The
training of the Nationalist Chinese pilots began in March 1959 .. By
the end of the year, there was a group of trained pilots ready for oper
ations, and DCI Dulles met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to dis,cuss
the program's future. Dulles reaffirmed the Agency's opposition to
Nationalist Chinese U-2 missions, and the Air Force, which had
Lockheed P-2V7 and P3A
reconnaissance aircraft