The A-11 was competing against a Because the A-12 was well ahead of its time, many new technologies had to be invented specifically for the Oxcart project with some remaining in use in present day. With the failure of the CIA's Project Rainbow to reduce the radar cross section of the U-2, preliminary work began inside Lockheed in late 1957 to develop a follow-on aircraft to overfly the Soviet Union. operational mission of an A-12, which was over North Korea. Groom Lake test facility on 26 February 1962. Lockheed’s SR-71 Blackbird first flew in 1964 and was decommissioned in 1999. On the morning of the flight a final briefing occurred, at which time the condition of the aircraft and its systems was reported, last-minute weather forecasts reviewed, and other relevant intelligence communicated, together with any amendments or changes in the flight plan. The Blackbird could also fly a few hundred miles further with its heavier fuel load. If any malfunctions developed on the primary aircraft, the back-up could execute the mission one hour later. Now that the United States signed the treaty with the are very similar and do similar tasks. Two hours prior to take-off the primary pilot had a medical examination, got into his suit, and was taken to the aircraft. Two sites prepared to launch missiles but neither did. gather important reconnaissance data without penetrating enemy airspace.The development of the A-12 began back in the mid 1950s when the CIA decided that it would be best to replace the U-2. The A-12 is primarily an over flight vehicle unlike the You can read more about Operation Black Shield in a companion article. SR-71. Lockheed convinced the U.S. Air Force that an aircraft based on the A-12 would provide a less costly alternative to the recently canceled North American Aviation The M-21 program was canceled in 1966 after a drone collided with the mother ship at launch. The Black Shield flights proved valuable, but also suggested it’s a good thing the A-12s were never assigned for overflights of the Soviet Union, which was defended by more advanced surface-to-air missiles and interceptors.Today, the surviving A-12 airframe can be seen in exhibitions across the country, including the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia and onboard the The aircraft was designated A-12, the 12th in a series of internal design efforts for "Archangel", the aircraft's internal code name. The Lockheed A-12 was a high-altitude, Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft built for the United States Central Intelligence Agency by Lockheed's Skunk Works, based on the designs of Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. Four more A-12s were lost in accidents, killing two more pilots.Evolving technology and political circumstances both conspired to undermine the A-12’s relevance. The A-12 is the forerunner of the SR-71 and has nearly the same shape and dimensions as its replacement. The Oxcart vehicle photographed 84 primary targets plus 89 bonus targets. The last iteration added “chines”—thin blade-like protrusions from the sides of the jet that reduced its radar profile and coincidentally improved its lift. This meant that the A-12 was lighter and could fly 2,000 to 5,000-feet higher than the SR-71 at comparative speeds. The Lockheed SR-71, commonly but unoffically called the Blackbird, is one of the most exotic airplanes ever conceived. He called Area 51 from a highway patrol office.In June 1964, the last A-12 was delivered to Groom Lake,Three more A-12s were lost in later testing. The mission was to create a craft that could avoid Soviet air defense through high-altitude supersonic flight. It was the precursor to the twin-seat A CIA officer later wrote, "Oxcart was selected from a random list of codenames to designate this These designs had reached the A-11 stage when the program was reviewed. The Soviet Union was the chief global supplier of titanium, so the CIA used shell companies purchased the rare metal from the country it intended to spy upon. All surviving aircraft remained there for nearly 20 years before being sent to museums around the U.S. On 20 January 2007, despite protests by Minnesota's legislature and volunteers who had maintained it in display condition, the A-12 preserved in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was sent to CIA headquarters to be displayed there.Major events in the development and operation of the A-12 and its successor, the SR-71, include: May 8th saw the last The SR-71 Blackbird (above left) was the Air Force’s two-seat follow-on version of the OXCART. In May of 1967, A-12s were flown to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan and BLACK SHIELD unit It basically is a household name and you’d have to look for a while to find an American male who isn’t aware of that amazing piece of aviation history – it reflects the … Designed to replace the U-2, the A-12 flew higher and four times as fast to outrun enemy defenses and gather intelligence. However, the SR-71 was chosen as successor to the A-12 due to its side-looking radar and cameras, allowing it to the project was called ARCHANGEL. test pilot Lou Schalk. The next month, Lockheed began to search for 24 pilots for the Both a primary aircraft and pilot and a back-up aircraft and pilot were selected. design proposals before they reached their final design, the A-12.On 26 January 1960, the CIA ordered twelve A-12 aircraft. The A-12 was also shorter and lighter than the SR-71, which meant it could fly a bit higher and faster. A-12 Oxcart and SR-71 Blackbird. Under Project Gusto the designs were nicknamed \"Archangel\", after the U-2 program, which had been known as \"Angel\".

The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation.It was operated by both the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA.. that was undermined even before the SR-71 was built.Research and development continued for a couple years before the first A-12 was completed and taken from Burbank to the its official first flight until 30 April 1962. The aircraft did not need

flew higher and four times as fast to outrun enemy defenses and gather intelligence.