Posted on Jun 5, 2022
Turning A Spy Plane Into A Mach 3 Fighter Jet - The YF-12
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"Is the Lockheed YF-12 still in service?
No, that aircraft, which sits just under a North American XB-70 Valkryie is actually the sole surviving Lockheed YF-12A, an aircraft that was developed in the early 1960s as a high altitude, Mach 3 interceptor to defend against supersonic bombers. Much like the aforementioned SR-71, it was based on the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft."
"Is the Lockheed YF-12 still in service?
No, that aircraft, which sits just under a North American XB-70 Valkryie is actually the sole surviving Lockheed YF-12A, an aircraft that was developed in the early 1960s as a high altitude, Mach 3 interceptor to defend against supersonic bombers. Much like the aforementioned SR-71, it was based on the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft."
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SMSgt Anil Heendeniya
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That's a good summary of what's called "The OXCART Family," Charlie. It was a joint project managed by the CIA and the US Air Force that germinated back in October 1962 under a project codenamed KEDLOCK. The first mission priority was to intercept Soviet supersonic bombers long before they reached our airspace. A fleet of 100 was the original plan, but the CIA, which used the black budget to contract and finance the A-12 build via Skunk Works, drew the line at only 3 aircraft, which were delivered in '63-'64. SECDEF MacNamara cancelled KEDLOCK in '68, and as a result the Air Force bore all the costs of the YF-12A, which was superseded by the F-111.
The CIA had authorized Skunk Works to study the feasiblity of a reconnaissance drone out of a modified A-12 ("Archangel-12") for unmanned overflight of denied (i.e. Soviet, Chinese, and North Korean) airspace. That project was codenamed TAGBOARD. The drone's mother ship, modeled after the A-12 Oxcart and redesignated the M-21 to avoid confusion with the A-12, was fitted with a second seat for a launch control officer (LCO) for the drone, which was designated the D-21. At over 5 tons and 43 feet in length, it had a ramjet engine capable of pushing the jet past Mach 3.3 at FL900 (90,000 feet), could fly over 3,000 miles, and had the smallest RCS (Radar Cross-Section) of anything Lockheed had yet designed. Much credit goes to the legendary Kelly Johnson, who quickly proved his brilliance in managing the family of projects at Groom Lake ("Area 51" was an initially highly-successful CIA disinformation feed to point inquisitive reporters--and our enemies--in the wrong direction; the "Area 51" on maps of the time was marked in the southernmost region of Nevada, while all the action was occurring up at Groom Lake. I bumped into General Yeager while I was up there (he enjoyed "carte blanche" access pretty much everywhere), and as he was a past patient of mine, he came up to me and said, "H plus 9, you get around more than I do these days!"
Over time, wagging tongues leaked the actual location of the secret aerospace research facilities at the Groom Lake drybed, where almost everyone was flown into work from Las Vegas in white, unmarked DC-9s. So the site at Groom Lake ended up unavoidably attached to the incorrect term "Area 51". What's funny is that most reportage now states that Groom Lake is located within "Area 51," when in fact that was not the case. But as the saying goes, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That said, the security forces protecting that place are Hell On Wheels, authorized to use deadly force to keep nosy onlookers away from the area.
I was TDY there for a couple of months while substituting for my mentor, who took a short vacation and thought I'd enjoy some time away from HQ Air Combat Command and revel in the experience--and I have to say, it was pretty cool flying to work every morning, then flying back and checking out Vegas for a couple of hours or so before heading to my hotel room. I got to watch some of the tests they were conducting on experimental aircraft (a few of which made it into the inventory, while others (I think) remain classified. What they're doing there should make us all proud of the brilliant minds we have on our side, thanks to the standard Kelly Johnson set).
Finally, it's clear the SR-71's successful run, which ended years ago, is now in the arena of its classified successor. Officially though, it has not been replaced. ;-)
That's a good summary of what's called "The OXCART Family," Charlie. It was a joint project managed by the CIA and the US Air Force that germinated back in October 1962 under a project codenamed KEDLOCK. The first mission priority was to intercept Soviet supersonic bombers long before they reached our airspace. A fleet of 100 was the original plan, but the CIA, which used the black budget to contract and finance the A-12 build via Skunk Works, drew the line at only 3 aircraft, which were delivered in '63-'64. SECDEF MacNamara cancelled KEDLOCK in '68, and as a result the Air Force bore all the costs of the YF-12A, which was superseded by the F-111.
The CIA had authorized Skunk Works to study the feasiblity of a reconnaissance drone out of a modified A-12 ("Archangel-12") for unmanned overflight of denied (i.e. Soviet, Chinese, and North Korean) airspace. That project was codenamed TAGBOARD. The drone's mother ship, modeled after the A-12 Oxcart and redesignated the M-21 to avoid confusion with the A-12, was fitted with a second seat for a launch control officer (LCO) for the drone, which was designated the D-21. At over 5 tons and 43 feet in length, it had a ramjet engine capable of pushing the jet past Mach 3.3 at FL900 (90,000 feet), could fly over 3,000 miles, and had the smallest RCS (Radar Cross-Section) of anything Lockheed had yet designed. Much credit goes to the legendary Kelly Johnson, who quickly proved his brilliance in managing the family of projects at Groom Lake ("Area 51" was an initially highly-successful CIA disinformation feed to point inquisitive reporters--and our enemies--in the wrong direction; the "Area 51" on maps of the time was marked in the southernmost region of Nevada, while all the action was occurring up at Groom Lake. I bumped into General Yeager while I was up there (he enjoyed "carte blanche" access pretty much everywhere), and as he was a past patient of mine, he came up to me and said, "H plus 9, you get around more than I do these days!"
Over time, wagging tongues leaked the actual location of the secret aerospace research facilities at the Groom Lake drybed, where almost everyone was flown into work from Las Vegas in white, unmarked DC-9s. So the site at Groom Lake ended up unavoidably attached to the incorrect term "Area 51". What's funny is that most reportage now states that Groom Lake is located within "Area 51," when in fact that was not the case. But as the saying goes, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That said, the security forces protecting that place are Hell On Wheels, authorized to use deadly force to keep nosy onlookers away from the area.
I was TDY there for a couple of months while substituting for my mentor, who took a short vacation and thought I'd enjoy some time away from HQ Air Combat Command and revel in the experience--and I have to say, it was pretty cool flying to work every morning, then flying back and checking out Vegas for a couple of hours or so before heading to my hotel room. I got to watch some of the tests they were conducting on experimental aircraft (a few of which made it into the inventory, while others (I think) remain classified. What they're doing there should make us all proud of the brilliant minds we have on our side, thanks to the standard Kelly Johnson set).
Finally, it's clear the SR-71's successful run, which ended years ago, is now in the arena of its classified successor. Officially though, it has not been replaced. ;-)
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SMSgt Anil Heendeniya - Excellent share of information... much appreciated. Sounds like you had a unique military career.
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SMSgt Anil Heendeniya
SGT (Join to see) -
Thanks Charlie. It was certainly one hell of a ride.
Something to do for 20 years...
Thanks Charlie. It was certainly one hell of a ride.
Something to do for 20 years...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth Probably Not the Best Concept but Yeah, I've been Part of the "Why Not" Crowd. I've done some Pretty Screwed Up things when Someone couldn't explain "Why Not" Quick Enough.
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