CIA releases documents related to the A-12 OXCART
- Thread starter erod
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Machdiamond
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This was discussed here back in 2007: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1107.0.html
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A shortish summary by Gene Poteat (release date 5/09/14) 'STEALTH, COUNTERMEASURES, AND ELINT, 1960-1975':
http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/DOC_0006122549.pdf
http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/DOC_0006122549.pdf
antigravite
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Just found another one, worth reading too:Mr London 24/7 said:
http://www.afio.com/publications/POTEAT_Scientific_and_Technical_Intelligence_FINAL_2014July14.pdf
FWIW, Gene Poteat, retired CIA intelligence officer (now head of AFIO), was recruted by "The Agency" in 1959 as an engineer. He was responsible for determining how stealthy OXCART, then a Work-in-Progress, would have to be... at a time when nothing was actually known "for sure" about Soviet radar capabilities. About everything was guessed. So, Poteat's article explains all of what he did, chronologically, to "map" out, identify, understand etc. the inner workings of Soviet air defenses, and how the technical intelligence results he obtained changed the big picture, AF tactics, and (implicitly) doctrine (I haven't checked out my Futrell against that, but it seems logical). Poteat's operations went as far as using the moon as a reflector to locate Soviet radars (project MELODY). Ultimately, Poteat demonstrated that OXCART, while being a fast mover indeed, would never be stealth-of-a-kind to Soviet radars (and maybe other detection systems, not discussed). This "stealth" goal would be achieved years later with F-117. What a fascinating account, really. What annoys me is the extensive use of the word "stealth" which is very common today but I remember something more akin to radar camouflage for earlier periods of time.
A.
PS) I'd be very happy to know when the word stealth was first used to designate an aircraft / missile / aerospace project in a programmatic or doctrinal document. Definitely looking for that.
https://youtu.be/MGdxpqqsHl8
