OXCART INFORMATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00529R000200010052-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 5, 2002
• Sequence Number: 52
• Publication Date: March 13, 1968
• Content Type: OUTLINE

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Apprq\d For Release 2002/06/14: CIA-RDP71B00529R00 2000145 68
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ch 1968
INFORMATION
History
A. Program Go-ahead
Design and Model - 29 August 1959
Fabrication - 8 February 1960
B. First Flight 26 April 1962
C. First Mach 3. 2 Flight - 27 November 1963
Operational date, Mach 2.8
E. Operational date, -Mach 3.2
- 5 November 1964
- I December 1965
F. Number of flights as of 29 Fe
bruary 1968 - 2731
G. Number of aircraft as of 15 M
arch 1968:
1.
Operationally ready 5
2.
Test aircraft 1
3.
Trainer aircraft 1
4.
Aircraft in storage Z
Total 9
Phase-out History and Related Events
A. At the request of the Bureau of the Budget, the BOB/DOD/CIA
study of the OXCART A-12/USAF' SR-71 aircraft programs was
accomplished in 1966. The purpose of the study was to make an
appraisal of the fleets, requirements and alternatives relating
to the fleet size, including consolidation of assets and storing
some aircraft for budgetary considerations. In December 1966
after consideration of several alternatives and the combined
k via
01 system
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aircraft fleet size. a Presidential decision was made to mothball
and store the A-12 aircraft effective 31 December 1967. with all
reconnaissance mission* being assigned to the SAC SR-71 fleet
under Air Force management.
B. In May 1967, a Presidential decision was made to deploy the A-l2
to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, for reconnaissance overflights of
North Vietnam for the primary purpose of detecting the introduc.
tion, of surface-to-surface missiles into the country.
C. Since the initial decision to terminate, the OXCART program has
been extended twice at the recommendation of the EX'COM of the
NRP to allow for further refinement of the SR-71 operational
readiness posture. Each extension was for a three month period;
the first was announced on 23 October 1967 and the second on
29 December 196?.
D. SR-71 aircraft have been deployed to Kadena and on 15 March 1968
SAC assumes responsibility for the North Vietnam reconnaissance
mission. The OXCART A-12 aircraft will remain at Kadena at
least 30 days to provide a contingency overlap capability, after
which they will be returned to the United States.
E. The OXCAR.T program now is scheduled to maintain an opera-
tional posture through 30 June 1968, after which the aircraft
be stored and the program terminated.
UUI.
OXCART D!ployment Status
A.
Date OXCART directed to deploy to Kadena - 16 May 196?
1
67
26 M
B.
9
ay
Date deployment completed -
C.
Operationally-ready date after deployment 28 May 1967
D.
First operatio ion. - 31 May 1967
E.
Tentative redeployment date - 15 April 1968
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OXCART
Approved For Release 2002/06/14: CIA-RDP71 B00529R000200010052-5
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I $$64-6g
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Operational mission summary as of 15 March 196$:
1. fissions flown - 28
24 North Vietnam (4? photo flight lines)
2 Cambodia (4 photo flight lines)
2 North Korea (5 photo flight lines)
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OXCART
Approved For Release 2002/06/14: CIA-RDP71 B00529R000200010052-5
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DD/SA:JP/hk
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Distribution:
1&2-DDS&T
3 -rDS& Registry
4 - Compt/OSA
S - DD/SA
6 - R13 / S
25X1A
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OXCART
L-JS864-68
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