Why was the SR-71 Blackbird chosen over the A-12 Oxcart?
The legendary SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft holds the official record for the fastest jet-powered, manned aircraft ever. The SR-71 was based on the A-12 Oxcart, another high-altitude reconnaissance plane capable of reaching Mach 3.
The A-12 was employed by the CIA, but its time in service was brief due to the advent of the CORONA reconnaissance satellite, which was launched for the first time in June 1959 and started delivering global imagery with far less risk compared to aerial reconnaissance. Concurrently, the SR-71 was introduced into service with the US Air Force (USAF), which resulted in the A-12 being retired in 1968.
What were the reasons for choosing the SR-71 Blackbird instead of the A-12 Oxcart?
Between October 20 and November 3, 1967, the A-12 and SR-71 faced off in a reconnaissance competition, labeled “Nice Girl,” across the United States. This involved refueling and flying the same routes one hour apart on three separate days, with both aircraft completing the entire mission with their collection sensors active.
On the first attempt, the SR-71 performed well, but the A-12 encountered an issue. On the second day, the situation was reversed. By the third day, both aircraft had completed the mission. On that day, the northern part of the route (from California to Kentucky) was under an overcast sky, preventing the A-12 from capturing any photographs other than clouds, while the SR-71 was able to gather ELINT and SLR data. After receiving air refueling, both aircraft sped up and climbed over the Gulf of Mexico. From New Orleans to the San Francisco area, the weather conditions were clear, allowing both aircraft to employ their full collection capabilities and provide data for the evaluation.
The aircrews that took part in the program were:
- Lt. Col. Al Hichew and I, Maj. Tom Schmittou flew mission #1.
- Maj. John Storrie and Maj. Coz Mallozzi flew mission #2 Maj.
- Bill Campbell and Capt. Al Pennington flew mission #3.
- Jack Weeks flew all three A-12 missions.
The first two days of flights yielded inconclusive results. Following the third day of operations, Intelligence analysts concluded that the SR-71 represented a more advantageous investment overall. Although A-12s featured superior cameras with a broader field of view and greater resolution, the SR-71 gathered a wider variety of intelligence than the CIA’s aircraft could manage. The additional sensors included infrared detectors, side-looking airborne radar, and ELINT-collection devices essential for the SR-71’s role in post-nuclear-strike reconnaissance.
They chose to maintain the SR-71 in service, leading to the retirement of the A-12s. The A-12s remained in hangars until 1984.
Check out Habubrat’s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.
Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force
