CONTINUED CLASSIFICATION OF THE AQUILINE PROGRAM

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Aquiline
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02378390
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: July 16, 2020
• Document Release Date: July 30, 2020
• Publication Date: September 11, 1973

Approved for Release: 2019/11/05 CO2378390
S E T
MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
OSA-2022/9/73
11 September 1973
Office of Research and Development, DD/SkT
Continued Classification of the AQUILINE Program
�
1. In response to your request regarding thoughts on the continued
classification of Project AQUILINE, it is my contention that for the next
year or so the program should be kept at the Secret level. The rationale
for this is that we are continuing to store, in tact, major pr gram assets
on the possibility (albeit slim) that they might be needed for the post cease
7,
fire monitoring of the Indochina Area.
Z. In this regard we have briefed Mr. George Carver. SAVA, on
the AQUILINE Program's unique capabilities for use against the cease
fire monitoring problem of Indochina. Mr. Carver, at that briefing,
indicated that if the program were active it would most likely be used.
However. Mr. Carver went on to say that since the program was inactive,
and would be fairly costly (time and money wise) to bring it Up to operational
capability, he thought it would be difficult to get approval for its use at
this time. He went on to say that if the SEA problems became more
difficult to solve, there could be a possibility that the AQUILINE Program
might be called upon to help out in one form or another.
3. For your information, we have briefed (at the Secret level) ARPA.
Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force on this program. They all indicated
a high degree of interest in the technology; however, no one indicated any
interest in picking the entire program up, primarily because it was too
SE-ET
1111Poar az_ evike"
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OSA-2022/9/73
Page Z
sophisticated for their drone type operational requirements. It is my
contention, after briefing all these people, that the AQUILINE Program
is still two to three years in advance of the efforts being conducted by
the various Services. This in itself is further verification for rnakwytining
the program at the Secret level.
EO/SA
Distribution:
Orig - ORD
1 - EO/SA
1 - RS/OSA
(11 Sept 73)
SE
Executive Office:-
Office of Special Activities
ET
Approved for Release: 2019/11/05 CO2378390