ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE (Sanitized) U-2 PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP68B00724R000100080040-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 40
• Publication Date: September 23, 1966
• Content Type: MF

`S'OP SECRET
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IDEALIST/TACKLE/TRINE/RUFF
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TALENT-KEYHOLE-COMINT TO opy /0 of /0
Systems Jointly
23 September 1966
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Tent of the Present and Future
U-2 Program
1. This memorandum is for information only.
2. At my request, the appropriate divisions of this
Directorate have prepazod an exhaustive and comprehensive
analysis and evaluation of the U-2/TACKLE program in order
to assess its viability and future as a productive in-
telligence collection effort.
3. The conclusions of the group were that the
U-2/TACKLE program should be continued; that the program
will continue to be a p- oductive intelligence collection
device provided the dynamic program of systems and tactics
development used over the past Tour years can be kept
intact and current. This summarizes the coordinated views
of the Office of Scientific intelligence, Office of ELINT,
and Office of Special Activities.
A. in assessing the feasibility of continued over-
flight of China by the U-2, recognizing the constantly
improving defensive capabilities of that country, the
evaluation has been limited to the surface-to-air missile
threat which is currently our primary concern. The
Lighter-interceptor threat has not, as yet, emerged as a
significant deterrent to the continuation of the TACKLE
program.
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CIA INTERNAL USE ONLY
Excluded from aItomatlc
kyla,n"reeing and
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5. It should be noted that while the study addressed
itself specifically to the present U-2 configuration and
associated systems, the philosophy and recommendations
apply, almost without exception, to the proposed U-2R
capability and may be so I)roZected.
u. While the conclusions of the evaluating committee
were essentially optimistic with regard to the viability
of the program, the inherent risk in overflight is such
that we obviously must expect some future losses. The
objective is, of course, to keep the risks at an accep-
table level. In this context, it was concluded, based
on review and supported by data derived from the tests
accomplished at General Dynamics, that the systems and
tactics employed in the past significantly contributed
to the sale return of the aircraft. However, the degree
to which they have been effective was not determinaUIe
from available evidence.
7. During the deliberations of the committee, it
became apparent that t ho inadequacy of onboard monitoring
and recording equipment, coupled with a lack of full ex-
ploitation of collateral sources of information on the
CHICOM defense environment, has to some extent deprived
us of the best available information which could be
applied to the solution of this problem.
8. In accordance with the recommendations of the
committee, certain actions concerning improvement of
mission planning procedures, operational tactics, and
countermeasures equipment have aireaj- been implemented
and are now in being.
9. Beyond those measures which could readily be
undertaken by the operations and development personnel
without policy sanction at higher level, I have approved
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the following committee recommendations:
a. That we assign the highest possible priority
to development and procurement of the System XVIII
concept. This would replace the now inadequate
System VI EL".NT collection device and provide a
certain amount of real time threat assessment,
which is mandatory.
b. That appropriate and knowledgeable Agent
25X1A personnel visit the
site to conduct brie 1ngs, investigate available
equipment, recommend supplemental equipment and,
generally, to contribute to the improvement of
future intercept operations.
10. In addition, I have approved for implementation
certain other recommendations 1 the committee which are
of lesser significance but which, across the board, should
contribute materially to the program's continuing value
as a source of critical intelligence on the CHICOM military
25X1A
AMERT D. WHEELON
Deputy Director
Tor
Science and Technology
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SA/D/OSA (23 Sept 66)
Distribu 10n:
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1 -
DC I
2 -
Ex. Registry
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9 -
SA/a)/SA
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COMINT CONTROL SYSTEMS JOINTLY
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