PROPOSED ARTICLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B00170R000200230053-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 28, 2008
• Sequence Number: 53
• Publication Date: August 28, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

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28 August 1981
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT Proposed Article, "Development of the Lockheed
SR-71 Blackbird"
REFERENCE: DDSFTT 3675-81, dated 3 August 1981, with
Attachments and Photos
1. I have read the referenced proposed article, subject
above, and the accompanying letter from Kelly Johnson, with
care and a high degree of interest.
2. Bearing in mind the self-imposed constraints
Mr. Johnson exercised, and which he sets forth in his letter
of 3 August, 1981, I believe that the proposed article pre-
sents no basic problems of an operational, technical or
security nature as far as CIA is concerned. Mr. Johnson's
request to disclose the Agency's role in SR-71 development
also comes after the 20 year classification duration provided
in the DDSFT Classification Guide for Security Information.
Section 9c. (1) and (1.1), though no formal declassification
date has been set. It should be noted that aside from CIA
participation, no specific technical information is being
released.
3. Having said that, I feel obligated to note that this
article, if published, will constitute the first authoritative
admission that the A-12 aircraft, predecessor of the SR-71,
was, in fact, developed by and for the CIA. Since the
existence of the "A-11" aircraft was publicly announced by
President Johnson in 1964, all the media sources have spec-
ulated from time to time that CIA was the father of the SR-71,
but there never has been official confirmation of such parent-
hood.
4. Even though Kelly Johnson's article is designed for
publication in the Lockheed technical house organ "HORIZONS",
I submit that because it has been written by Kelly Johnson,
it will obtain far greater distribution than otherwise would
be the case, since editors and writers will quickly zero in
on the CIA aspects of the story, realizing that Kelly must
have received concurrence from the U.S. Government in its
content. Extending this reasoning somewhat, I would predict
that there might well be a large number of FOIA requests stem-
ming from such a disclosure, with a resultant burden on this
Agency to contend with them.
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5. On the other hand, I understand from a personal
conversation with Kelly Johnson on the phone the evening
of 26 August, that the cognizant USAF SPO has agreed with
the text and photos I interpret this to mean that for
the first time the Air Force is not interested in conceal-
ing the fact that the SR-71 stemmed from the loins of
CIA! I think that the resultant effects of the publicity
that will attend publication will definitely be favorable
to the image of the C text and photos
have been reviewed by Deputy Director STAT
of Security, who interposes no objections on the part of
his office.
6. On balance therefore, I come to the conclusion
that publication of Kelly Johnson's article represents no
compromise of CIA's responsibilities, given the passage of
time and today's environment. I further believe, as I have
said, that any fallout from it will be generally favorable
to this Agency. Additionally, logic for years has led to
the conclusion that,: having developed the U-2 in the first
place, CIA would have been derelict in its duties if it had
not been responsible for an improved reconnaissance system
to follow the U-2.
7. Because of the implications of publication to which
I have alluded above, I would recommend that DDSTT seek the
concurrence of the DCI or DDCI in the decision to tell Kelly
Johnson to proceed. Thereafter, I would also suggest that
Kelly be asked to furnish CIA with a dozen or so copies of
the magazine "HORIZONS" containing the published article.
I would hope that after publication there might be no elab-
oration attempted on the article by any Agency spokesman,
at least in a public forum.
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