FUTURE OF THE AGENCY S U-2 CAPABILITY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62B00844R000200160038-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 25, 2002
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: July 7, 1960
• Content Type: STUDY

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T July 1960
3r THE A ENCY1'S U-4 CAPABILITY
1. Elements of the Problem: The problem is whether the Agency should
continue to maintain a V-ZZ capability and, if so, for what purpose, on what scale,
and where deployed. A firm decision has been made that, at toast for the next
seven months. no effort will be evade to conduct reconnaissance with these
aircraft over the USSR. It is a
decision will remain firm and
this is not a proposal socking any amendment to that decision. However, it is
further assumed that, If a drastic change should occur in the world situation,
the decision would automatically be re-examined, and that it may in any event
be reconsidered eight months hence. This contingency should be provided for
though a drastic change in the world situation is not anticipated. Accordingly,
resolution of the problem would appear to depend on the answers to the
following questions:
the existiin
.nds of the CIA were do-
activated, could it be promptly reconstituted in the event of need?
b.
firm, probables or contingent requirements which
could be satisfied through use of the U- during the period Immediately
ahead within the limits of existing olic
c. Must the vutnera
f the U-4 be presumed to be too great to
permit consideration of its use at some future time over the USSR?
. Is the operation of the tJ-Z dependent on the use of bases located
on allied territory. and. if so, will such bases be available?
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a. If tnsinte
or eem ploym ent
ntod, is there any reason for m
Agency hands
n the USAF
he existing U-Z capability in
y liquids
CI
could not be reconstituted withem
out (which would be transferred
three to six months delay.
SAC) could of course be r
bled muc'
eluiekly. but
Uties would have to be obtained and Agency, Air Force,
perm(
d and trained anew
ng pilots) reassemble
th advance planning to
eatest possible use of experienced personnel, only
part of the need could be m
b. There is of course, an existing U-2 capability in SAC.
If it were desired to reconstitute a civilian sponsored uni
some personnel could be drafted from SAC but there are
categories that could not be filled from this source.
CO, Considerado
U-2 capability in nonmi
3.
g on the continued need for a
scussed below.
a. During the past four years the U-S: has been employed
not only for infrequent reconnaissance missions over the USSR,
but also for the following purposes, which are arranged in order
of political and military hazard.
capability
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ance overflights of the European
satellites;
Reconnaissance ove ril
s of Communist
qua;
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it econnaislance overflights
die East and ludones
cim stances have Justified;
(4) Peripheral intelligence code
ou special
lesions of
loc (including
s types *tong the borders of Comraw
?rflight of fris
ke work" activities.
of Its sit,
s, or the technical ca
case of periphery
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It is assumed
case of Middle
?2
provided by no other
decision to discontinue reconnaissance
the USSR applies (at least for the present) to the European
satellites as well.
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l countrie
rd and fourth categories
they are those
privacy
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an urgent and Up price:
like ho+
L ssance of Coxnmunis=
tvee been own over
h a few -4 mis
id policy of the Central Intelligence Agency and
the Air rotes
it is a
was
Id against mush 14
opportunity is no
believed thai
vehicle is exposed,
riatee way should be found
age
China before air defenses there have'
ois at the
y tar
or improved.
requirement
auticip
tT-2 should a,
ek.
ad in the Middle East,
etU
,d on such missions
it could be
SR, Now
,or open
ibbean.
4ction can be
extreme!
requirements
areas to
risk of
.etration of the Soviet border or of em
nt due
craft
25
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ry of allies which are
the far.sesabte futur
of Communist China or to par pherat mi
out should itset
id on
ke USSR. Even if,
;td be in the interest of the united States
wh allies to the risks of Soviet counter
leaved, however, that this limitation applies Ott
b. Re"gail
bitity
a for in-flight refueling so as to relieve them from dependence
d in
nee
could be
s prnporr,d to equip a
not be permitted to
order
preceding). With
sites, the mot
y feasible possibility -would,
carrier, refuel cte
of the mission at o
e target ar
d conce-
std be flow
the bases listed above.
eat the require-
itis
ci
Ant
U-Z from a
fter completion
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under
d Cover:
lved from its inception
to aircraft ostensibly (and actually) to perform
1, ow
primary
and,
p secret primary mission.
words they have been engaged in clandestine operations,
a for this basic reason that the capability was organized
Y by the Agency and the Air Forte but within C .ts
4asafor
rollar'y reason for Agency sponsorship was
-eaworh and line of command. A strongly
ar rye-that, in this event of compromise,, the activity be
vilian espionage not under military control
the fewest possible military overtones,
b. the tT-2 Viability is maintained and employed for the
forth in paragraph 3 above, this will still constitute
e a cL,ancea
the true na
Wort therei
F ppty in
degree to re
e operation.
with regard to peripheral missions along
and certainly U. S,
respect to over-
RET. The same will
neutral areas. Only
borders, eta
sty be of secondary importance.. It would appear
that the same considerations (sot forth in subparagraph 6a above)
P, " ' Y"
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w'e 6_3~ r?3 rt. . 2 t
the past seems
r ed that =ore continuation of
dop
ting the US Governmental sponsorship of
Aed.
rangements would fall to accomplish the
,tian sponsorship would
h could not be fresh' and
nt is that the present cover is blown
if present arrangements would continue unchanged, true
-hip and mission will likewise be assumed to be unchanged.
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against the USSR and &0 satellites
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Rut* it is assumed as rtsted in Wag
Me
aid
re be stationed in Europe.
a. The +A will
pabUty.
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b.
ed to the
vs -219
U.
in Turkey, two
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a Turkish bass,
e to redeploy any
25
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, +!
a greetty reduced and redeploy*
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e. Veto
2'.
I be m,
fueling
odiflcation* discussed above In paragraph 4e,
f. seen as modifications are carried out, approximately
e Agency=s present inventory of 12 TJ=Zle wilt become
As rapidly as possible these and associated equipments
will be turned over to the Air Force for use by SAC and ARJ)C.
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.rr Iw
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S.
and with the 0
U4ta V
As so as ma
Fed for
xs discussed above in paragraph 4e&
carried out,
y's present inventory of 1Z U-210 will
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the Air Force for use by SAC and A tDC.
ty
rapidly as possible these and associated equipments will be turned over
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Chal -1073
Distribution;
Cyl -RMB
25X1 Cy 2 - DCI (Via Cy 3 - DDCI
Cy 4 Hugh Cumming (State Department) via
Cy 5 - Gen. Goodpaster 8 July 60
Cy 6 - Col. Geary, USAF 12 July 60
8 July 60
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