MAJOR PROGRAM ISSUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00159R000200150008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: January 1, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/08/21: CIA-RDP75BOO159R000200150008-6
Approved For Release 2006/08/21: CIA-RDP75BOO159R000200150008-6
 Approved For Release 2006/08121 : CIA-RDP75B00159R000200150008-6
w
savings of approximate) .4n CIA and NRP.
Given the continuing decline in usefu'.ness, Should the to c
~J-2_~ fleet of twelve c...r- -a-f- =GC.LCc C: LO eight by mothballin
four U-2R ' s, and con Soli - to - o a sin le SAC fleet with .~'tT 1971
FY 1968 3, 941- 75
FY 1969 4,736 69
FY 70 Forecast 3,380 336
:c :Ggr phy (ta :en at Gbiic_uc an(-.,, es up to 700) degrades so
.lain a:_C:. Flying under such res' raints, the resolution oS the
D iscuss.:.on:
The US Government presently possesses two separate U-2 recon-
ri %. i.s c nce aircraft fleets. a covert CIA capability (IDEALIST) and
a non-covert. Strategic Air Co-,,, :?and (SAC) unit.
The SAC and CIA U-2R aircraft are essentially identical. It
T. S _nt`nded that they be interchangeable in case a S peC_c l need
arose Gr one fleet sufferedmore attrition than the other. The
same main camera is used (IRIS Ii).
The SAC U-2C/R fleet has been considerably more active on
useful missions than the CIA
miss: of the CIA fleet has been out of
-on
Jr_..':e
ian cove ra~.e. The
tactical reconnaissance aircraft for Laot
t .4 ~ :v~: ~i _.aa~. 'litv of- othe ai rc~. c. ... i. p1 at1.orw;s s'ac'- as S 1-7i.. a:~c
because appropriate re-e_ amina`ion of dated rec;ulremen.-k-s -=n d
Laos) and Cuba. Veit these missions will decline in 't-lie fut:.._e25X1
The SAC fleet has been used over South ' t:~ ' East Asia spat. u arly
Since May, 1968, a policy constraint has been imposed li sting
11 25-X1 t'~e U-2 to peri p :e;gal flights no closer than 20N 1 of= the C :i ese
 Approved For lease 2006/08/21 : CIA-RDP75B00159 000200150008-6
Even t h though it has been operated 20-R. offshore Chinese NRO
Communist reaction has been hostile. On May 7, 1969, a `4':G-2l
c.la sed he U-2 at oo .
_1nt 48 ti :? les oif, the China C oa st ? Another
S.ch ~ncide_n.t occurred on October 16, 1969. The satellite unlike.
even the peripheral lights, does not provoke a host-
-I l le _ ion.
The predictable mission profile up an down the Coast makes the
ID -,NTIST an easier target than it would be on a direct penetration,
~.Cc0=din.g to tno ,~~? g
25X1
I~ 1968, on y nine missions were flown out ofl
1 ~, O date, about seven have been planned. More !1 'n eight
vu_: rs;D! e to unknown SA-2 si'-cs . By avoiding known SF,-'2 sites
to =educe vulnerability, the mission may also thereby SS or
degrade its resolution a, ins- prime targets often protected by
in a den se air defense environmer_tYsuch as the U.S.S.R., N.
V; -
-etnam, \? Korea, and por:.ions oL China, the U-2R is s.igni_icantly
asses . to the NASA budget.
Some U-2R' s- could have eC i i
Ori0_ 1Cc: _ potent a 1 us 2 as airborne
-,Ia~.for.u a Lerna ? { i v` to Sai l - _
4 J
1 le l L.~S 7-or earth resources seri_~rirl
Suc use of these aircraft would involve a transfer of the
zrc~ua~-g 150 agency personnel), should be terminated because:
demonstrated pattern of declining use and utility of
..he CIA U-2R -fleet;
S Su-?m=rv, the separate IDEALIST fleet ( L
cos Ling In CIA cost,
availability of more advanced and less vulnerable ~
,::armed aircraft reconnaissance platforms '(SAC SR-71' s) ;
SAC will still retain a U-2 capability which will be
adecuaLe fog present and anticipated requirements;
AnnrnvPrl Fnr RPIaacP 2,M8/08/'1 ? rIA-PnP7FFIClCl1,rigoh l(12nCY15n11(1g-6
25X1
 Approved For Release 200~/41812t ; C1A P,DP75B00159R000200150008-6
- policy limitations p,. G i 1"ti ng use of LJ-l S in over fi
of denied areas and consequent low utilization; 25X1
naissance systems; ILLEGIB
- availability of satellite photographic and
- CIA can assign civilian pilots to the SAC L-2 unit t
pilot is required for a specific mission.
maintain proficiency in tie event that a civilian. li~
?'~eSuaably, since the total -fleet' would be :reduced, . 1.l:im'u;"m
ad i _c _al facilities Lon storage and ;maintenance would be neede
rot ne two additional active airc_aft in the SAC fleet. In
pr C'. otS .years, cost estimates Gconsolidation have ircluded ones
tin e hanger construction costs to maintain an undi i "shed total
fleet. E f the total fleet was reduced from 12 t0 0, (4 moth balled
25X1 or transferred to NASA) then pres mably, the "one-time" initial
Fiscal year costs would not exceed the ."savings" expected.
25X1
Anirr earl Cnr Dafang- ')Qr? A1fOP')1 - C'I A Dr nnn4 cnnnn
 Approved For Release 2006/08/21: CIA-RDP75BOO159R000200150008-6
Approved For Release 2006/08/21: CIA-RDP75BOO159R000200150008-6