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Approved for Release: 2017 /01 /25 C05096209 

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· CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY' 

. ' WASHINGTON 25, D. C:::, 

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· OFFICE OF THE. DIRECTOR 

/ 2 9 AUG 1966 · •"• an ... ooea.11 

14 000430760 

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The Honorable Robert s. McNamara 

Secretary of Defense ; ,•' . 

The Pentagon Washington, D.C .. 

Dear Bob: . ,, .. '• 

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In his summary memorandum on OXCART deployment 

date!l'''!l21 'August 1966 (see Att. A)_. Mr. Rostow has 

asked that we consider what mensqres might be taken 

to' shorten the present twenty~ona.da.y deployment 

i,pterval in case OYi..CART were later needed on short 

notice. 

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Our people believe that they can now be prepared 

to begin operations 15 days after a decision to deploy , • 

is mnde; and an emergency capability would be available 

after 13 days. · You will remember that the original . :. 

deployr11ent schedule called for the first operational : · ::' 

capability for overflight 21 days after go-ahead and ·: · involved a mixture of subsonic and supersonic :ferrying • 

together with a layover in Hawaii. The improvement to 1• 

15 days is du~. primarily to our confidence that we can ',:·:'. i .. :ferry the .three OXCART aircraft at MACH THREE non-stop , .1(P····Aadepa. 'I'his '\S1ould also reduce the public! ty ,

1 associated with d.eployni.ent since there hns been interest 

in the SR-71 type aircraft in the Honolulu press. We ' 

would furthef.plan .to load and dispatch the six C-141 

transport aircraft committed to the deploy:n1ent with 

materiel and personnel on the second and third days afteyi- go-ahead. I am told that all of this can be 

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accomol1shed within the context of tbe 50X1 ; 

I I and provides an 50X1 

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BYE-0068-66 

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adequate safety margin for recovery of the OXCART · :.>':::: · aircraft at designated en route bases in case of engine ~ ·; ~_ ..... : · · failure or other emergencies, Which wa consider highly 

· ; .. , unlikely. This revised plan would also provide for · ~ adequate rest for deployed personnel and for exercise 

of operational procedures at Kadena prior to launching . · .. the fitrst overflight. A revised deployment schedule 

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. and route map is included in Attachment B, together ' with some essential comments on the operational plan. I 

Since we will apparently not be deploying at an 

early date, the Secretary of State and I have discussed 

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the possibility of using OXCART over Cuba, both to gain experience and to acquire higher resolution photography 

at less risk. I believe that this is a sound course, 

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since it would exercise the operational capability in 1 

an SA-2 environment and build confidence in our ability : .. : . t, 

to use the OXCART over heavily defended territory when · •i · 

the need arises. We judge that four flights per month 

flown out of Area 51 with two inflight refuelings would •, 

·, fill the present intelligence need. I do not believe, 

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however, that we should relieve SAC of their present responsibility for obtaining this coverage with U-2's 

until we establish what the Cuban capability to track 

and hear the flights and know what their air defense or 

political ,reaction will be. If it is agreeable to you, 

I should like to propose to the 303 Committee that it 

approve such OXCART flights over Cuba in addition to ,. the 1 present SAC U-2 cov;erage • . · ... · ... 

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Sincerely, 

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· ·· · ·' · , ... · ·' ·· ·: ·. · •'lri/: Ricnarcf Helnls. 

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, ' :,';-; ~· '·· ''.: <· B.ichard Helms . "· ' ··,., 

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