Department of War PURSUE File
CIA-UAP-003, The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974
1954-1974
Editorial summary
This is a 1992 CIA History Staff book by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach covering the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974. The detailed history traces the aircraft's development, funding, testing, and operations over the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Its table of contents includes a section titled U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK, indicating the study addresses how high-altitude flights related to unidentified flying object reports of the era. The document is marked Secret NOFORN.
Editorial summary written by govweird from the declassified document text. The official government description follows below.
Government description
This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.
Caption issued by the U.S. Department of War on war.gov/ufo. Verbatim, unedited.
Originating agency
Central Intelligence Agency
Record type
Incident date
1954-1974
Incident location
Unspecified
Release tranche
Release 03 (May 8, 2026)
Distribution
Cleared for public release