WEATHER SUPPORT FOR PROJECT OXCART

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP33-02415A000300300012-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 6, 1999
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: January 5, 1961
• Content Type: MF

5, 2 X1C4a
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Copy .2of ,
R Acting Chief, ND
I Weather Support for Project OXCART
Paragraph 11 of this memorandum contains a recommendation
requiring the approval of the Acting Chiefs DPD.
2. i Decether 6 1961 weather officers representing Headquarters,
aDj Headquar.AterA.A1L2t2ther
!service the Global Weather Central MEN met with =====1 25X1A5a
of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation to discusa weather support requirements
for the flight test Owe of the OXCART program.
3. During the discuss
is the problem of pro
25X1A5a2 the flight at director.
will be sensitive to
on one major problem came to light. This
data on atmospheric turbulence to
ated that the OXCART vehicle
test flights may be conducted
only when turbulence is at a mininum. This applies particularly to
the early months of testing, but is a factor which must be carefully
considered even in the operational phase of this project.
4. The flight teat area is subject to varying degrees of
turbuenoe much of the time. The atmospheric conditions which most
often result in significant turbulence for conventional aircraft can
be forecast with a reasonable degree of reliability. However, even
when the necessary conditions exist, turbulence may occur in only
isolated locations, or not at all. nue, with present forecasting
methods based on upper air rswinsonde data, many test flights may
be postponed unnecessarily when conditions are favorable for turbulence
to occur but significant turbulence is not actually present.
5. Another factor in this problem is that the size and intensity of
the atmospheric eddies which produce significant turbulence vary
eith the design and flight characteristics of the aircraft. The
vertical velocities snd eddy sizes that may affect the OXCART vehicle:
are not known, nor can these parameters be forecast an the basis of
normal ravinsonde data.
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6. The only means of Obtaining the type of data needed to
evaluate the parameters which produce turbulence on the OXCART vehicle,
and to develop techniqees for forecasting this terbulence, is to fly
over the route with a properly instrumented aircraft just prior to
each test flight. The DSAF Air Weather Service has R3-57 weather
recennaissance aircraft stationed at McClellan ArB, which can be made
available to the project. These aircraft are already suitably
instrumented except for vertical gust velocity recorders. The gust
recorders are on hand at McClellan AFB and can be installed before
the flight test program begins.
7. In order to derive full benefit from the reconnaissance
flights, the aircraft must be cleared to fly over and a
radio communication channel must be established between the Ree.57
and After procedures have boon established, individual
reconnaissance missions can be requested as required, by the Staff
Weather Officer at These =meats may be relived through
VIM to protect the identity of the requeetor. The flight crews may
have to be given a limited project briefing but need not be told the
mission or the identity of the sponsor. All necessary internal
arrangements within the Air Weather Service will be made by Lt Colonel
Gaertner
25X1A6a
8. The possibility of using assigned aircraft, such as the Fe101?
for the reconnaissance flights has been considered. W. believe it
would be virtually iepossible to properly instrument any of the
assigned aircraft before the test flights begin. 25X1A2g
9. The boot alternate solution would be to use 4111111111trom
Mequipped with a weather pack. Hower, this would require
ove modification of at least one 25X1A2g
10. It is the firm conviction of all of the weather officerg
referred to in paragraph two that full use of weather reconnaissance
aircraft in support of the flight test program is essential to the
safety and progress of Project OXCART. The data obtained from these
flights vill provide &means of everting mem unnecessary delve in
the flight test program; it will provide a possible means of
turbulence forecasting techneqeee which stay be vital to the
phase of the project; and it will be valuable for assessing
of other atmospheric parameters such as temperature, pressure
the performance of the OXCART vehicle.
the Acting Chief, DPD concurs in the Air Weather Service
use the BBe57 in support of OXCART.. it is recommended that
eve the actions outlined in paragraph seven.
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Chie
bar
$ DPD
CONCUR:
Non-Concur - c.onveivably such an elaborate procedure could be
used for initial flight test but is much too involved for continuous operation.
I c
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s Branch, ra
cur in the Air Weather Service proposal to use RB-57
er reconnaissance aircraft in support of Project OXCART and
approve the actions uhich are recommended in paragraph eleven
and outlined in paragraph seven.
Ark 214 4E4-99 Pi 114-14. "fr /ea- 517 e-N.1
? ?-to)
/4/ Se.d/ef
Acting Chief, DTD.DIVP
DPDAX
I ? mopthe
. wpic/en
. BPD
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