Documents / Official release

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. 11 …At great risk, US Air Force and Navy aircraft had been conducting peripheral reconnaissance and shallow…
  • p. 16 …As a result, in the late 1940s, the US Air Force and Navy began trying to…
  • p. 17 …Two months later, on 7 October 1952, Soviet fighter aircraft stalked and shot down a US…
  • p. 72 …The terminology used to describe U-2 aircraft and pilots also played a part in maintaining…
  • p. 94 …The committee issued its l ist of cargets for the use of the entire intelli gence…
  • p. 147 …The Agency then turned co the Navy, which granted permission for Detachmernt C to use the…
  • p. 180 …James Doolittle urged President Eisenhower to use overflights of the Soviet Union to the maximum degree…
  • p. 223 …by Air Force and Navy reconnais sance aircraft. President Kennedy used NPIC photographs to i llustrate…
  • p. 273 …Charyk, and his Navy counterpart, Garrison Norton. Designers from several air craft manufacturers also attended some…
  • p. 283 …This engine had originally been developed for the Navy's large, jet-powered flying boat, the…
  • p. 297 …The need for additional bui ldings on the base was met by the Navy. Three surplus…
  • p. 298 …After hearing Bissell and Holcomb's suggestion that the 158 might be used in future Navy…
  • p. 348 …Following modifications to make System-VII suitable for use by the Navy, the designation was changed…
  • p. 353 …In 1968 tests on an AQUILINE prototype at Randsburg Wash on the US Navy's Naval…
  • p. 401 …247, 328 US Marine Corps Reserve 14 US Military Academy at West Point 329 US Navy…
368
Sec1 et NOFORN
Index
lncirlik Airbase, Turkey
113, 181
India
148, 231-232, 237, 247, 319
Indian Parliament
232
Indian Springs, Nevada
274. 130, 132
Indonesia
211-212, 214,319
Indonesian Air Force
212
inertial guidance systems
313
inflatable aircraft
262
infrared camera
282
infrared jammer
336
infrared scanner
238-239
inland waterways
82
instant-film camera
330
intelligence. collection of
16, 31-32. 80-81, 142. 146. 153.
162. 170, I 82. 189. 211, 245. 253,
256. 282. 300,303.310. 315. 319.
322. 333. 336, 339
Intelligence and Research. Bureau of
209
intelligence community
2. 20. 33, 81. 138, 153, 160. 164-165.
170-171, 190. 196, 232-233, 254, 298.
303-304, 322. 339
Intelligence Coordination, Office of
81
intelligence requirements
25-26, 80-82, 114, 122, 154, 188-190,
226. 230,233.250, 253,300,332
Intelligence Requirements Officer
81
Intelligence Star
186
Intelligence Systems Panel (ISP)
21-22, 24-26, 30-32. 35, 327
intercept
87. 108, 124, 126-127, 142, 148,
162. 168, 170. 174, 176-177. 259,
285,317.335
interceptor aircraft
93. 109, 124, 148, 176
intercontinental ballistic missile
137. 159
Interior, Department of the
254
international date line
134
International Geophysical Year
85
international law
110
interrogation
2-3. 183, 241
intruder
109
"invisible" dirigible
18
ion cloud
300
ionosphere
175
Iran
124. 133. 189
Iraq
133. 153
Iron Curtain
I. 17. 93. 95. Ill. 126. 146
ISINGLASS
312
Isle of Pines
205
Israel
113-114. 116-117, 120, 343
Israeli paratroop
117
Israeli-Egyptian conflict
257. 117
Israeli-Syrian disengagement
257
Itek Corporation
331. 250
IX spaceflights
254
Secaet

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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.