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BRIEFING NOTE FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT: Factors Influencing Decision to .Surfacel
1. Those considerations which influenced the decision to surfacel (LRI) version of lhe OXCART vehicle were as follows:
a. The obvious advantagesontrolled surfacingime and under
circumstances of our choice as opposed to an emergency surfacing which might have resulted from an incident or UWI media exposure and without the ncccusary preparation and briefing of witting personnel on tho manner in which they should respond to queries. The timing of tho surfacing was dictated by tho following factors:
Increasing awareness of industry and the press (Detailed in Attachment fl).
Escalated opurational activity-increasing numbers of aircraft and
flights.
Extended flight profiles outside our restricted operating area.
Increased security problems generated by FAA and ADC tracking of OXCART flights.
Hazards of attempting to cover accidents involving the OXCART vehicle, made obvious by the crash of2 in Utah on
APPROVED FOri RELEASE DATE:7
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ffFPRFT ULUIU-I
(6) The need for un attributable (surfaced) vehicle,l, to cover any future losseconnaissance configured aircraft.
b. Desire of the U. S. Ck>vernmcnt to make technology data onl available to participants and evaiuators of tho SST program.
evaluating the SST competition proposals was currentlyand was lacking significant information which would
unquestionably affect its judgements.
3 as the deadline for introducinginto the evaluation group's deliberations if it wore to be of
any practical use.
2. addition to the foregoing, which were the primary considerations of tho Agency in agreeing tosurfacing, the Department of Defense was oxpor:encing increasing difficulty in concealing its participation in the program. These problems stemmed from:
increasingly high rate of expenditures as the SACcame into production.
political pressures resulting from tlieinvolving appropriations for the IMI and manned bomber.
STPRFT-
attachment as stated
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l Nov1 Nov
October
October
op5 Sop
April to Octuno
MarchFob
OXCART
(Awareness Outside of Cleared Community)
News article inontana, California, speculating about "super secret Project site".
Mr. Marvin Miles, Aviation Editor, Los Angeles Times, telephonically contacted Westing-houseittsburgh, attempting to confirm ifof that firm were travelling covertly to "the desert" each week in connection with top secret Project which he suspects may have "CIA" association.
Dr. James B. Rca, Independent Consultant to several aircraft firms presented briefings at UughcsCompany and Telecomputing Corporation during which he accurately and openly speculated about recent LAC developments.
A contractor employeenroute from Los Angeles International Airport via taxi to the Project Terminal at LAC was queried by the driver as to "whether he was enroute to Novada".
Mr. Robert Uotz, Editor, Aviation Week, indicated his awareness of developments at Burbank.
"The Hartfordartford,eferred toTfie "secret" development of8 engine in an article of the SST.
- Several sightings of tho Project OXCART vehicle by commercial airline crews.
Convair Tech. Rep. at NORTON AFB, California wrote to his home plant at Ft, WORTH advising that LAC has secretlyACH 3. Aircraft using titanium alloy.
Colonel John J. Smith, (AF Retired) and his
deducted from various indications in industry that Kelly Johnsonircraft in flight test.
Mr. Robert ffidmer, Vice-President, Convair, FT. WORTH (cleared OXCART) advised that it is common knowledge in the aircraft industry that Kelly Johnson is involved in the manufacture of anollow on.
SEGEfcf
illiam Clegern, Asst. to Director, Advanced
Technology, Martinenver, Colorado, roup of people at his firm that "Lockheed was workinghat would fly in excesseetpeedACH". His statement was based on heresay and his personal speculations,
ohn B. Pearson, U. S. N. ice-
President, Development and Planning, North American Aviation accurately concluded from his speculations and industrial indications that Kelly Johnson wasACH 3aircraft which would oporato00 feet.
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CEGP.EI
Original document.
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