Aquiline

AquilineAquiline

aquiline adj. of or like the eagle.

Aerial intelligence collection platforms have played a critical role in US national security from the earliest beginnings of aviation. CIA's 1960s OXCART Program and its use of U-2s are examples of collection innovations that have kept US leaders informed about adversaries' capabilities and intentions. Despite their success, however, use of these platforms carried significant risks and repercussions, including detection and even pilot loss, such as the downing of the U-2 flown by Francis Gary Powers in 1960. Ever-evolving research by the CIA led to the development concept of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as collection platforms. An innovative Agency program in the 1960s codenamed Aquiline was the very first to test this concept. Based initially on the study of flight characteristics of birds, Aquiline was envisioned as a long-range vehicle that could safely and stealthily provide a window into denied areas such as the Soviet Union through photography and other capabilities, and would even support in-place agent operations. While it never became operational, the concept proved invaluable as a forerunner to today's multi-capability UAVs.

Documents in this Collection

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Document Number: 03035179
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6
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PDF icon AQUILINE[15784069].pdf320.22 KB

Document Number: 06774182
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15
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PDF icon INTRODUCTORY[15747021].pdf257.28 KB

Document Number: 06774185
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17
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PDF icon PROJECT AQUILINE BRIEFING[15747226].pdf483.71 KB

Document Number: 05646611
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5
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PDF icon PROJECT AQUILINE[15784065].pdf355.85 KB

Document Number: 03050660
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4

Document Number: 03055187
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44

Document Number: 03065153
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2

Document Number: 02795853
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5
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PDF icon TRANSMITTAL OF AQUILINE P[15784056].pdf185.06 KB

Document Number: 03050666
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4
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PDF icon PROJECT AQUILINE[15747040].pdf140.84 KB

Document Number: 02777858
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6
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PDF icon REVISED AQUILINE PROGRAM[15784068].pdf193.36 KB

Document Number: 02387120
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1
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PDF icon PROJECT AQUILINE[15747023].pdf42.2 KB

Document Number: 02387106
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29

Document Number: 02076220
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4
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PDF icon (UNTITLED)[15747054].pdf211 KB

Document Number: 05646605
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8
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PDF icon PERSONNEL MANNING POLICY [15747055].pdf208.55 KB

Document Number: 02381328
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9
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PDF icon PROJECT AQUILINE[15747015].pdf127.82 KB

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