Lockheed A12 USA Air Force Aviation Photo 0355286

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A-12 Preservation. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has one of the most varied aircraft collections on the East Coast. One of the most captivating aircraft in the Museum's collection is the Lockheed A-12. The A-12 reconnaissance aircraft was the product of Project Oxcart, a top-secret Cold War CIA program to develop a supersonic, high.

Lockheed A12 USA Air Force Aviation Photo 0495750

The capital was in the throes of Persian Gulf war fever, but this January 5 session focused on another crisis: what to do about the Navy's A-12 aircraft, which was at least $1 billion over budget, 8,000 pounds overweight, and eighteen months behind schedule. Secretary Garrett argued for a federal bailout to rescue the plane. Others demurred.

The Search For A12 Article 125

NASA and Lockheed Martin have , a "quiet supersonic" aircraft that may shape the future of both military and civilian air travel. The X-59 has been under development at Lockheed Martin Skunk.

FileA12flying.jpg Wikimedia Commons

Unlike the later USAF YF-12A and SR-71, the A-12 Oxcart was a single seat aircraft, with the exception of one two-seat trainer version of the A-12, aircraft #60-6927, named the "Titanium.

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The A-12 is a high-speed, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft created by the Lockheed Skunk Works division for the CIA under the Oxcart program in the earl.

Lockheed A12 Archives This Day in Aviation

The A-12 was named Avenger II after Grumman TBF/TBM torpedo bomber from World War 2. Initially the Navy wanted 620 A-12s, the Marines wanted 238, and the Air Force considered 400 A-12 variants. The A-12 was considered as a replacement for the retiring F-111s. Designers envisioned a flying wing design shaped like a triangle.

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The Lockheed A-12 spy plane was developed for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for service during Project Oxcart. While it had the potential for a long career, its niche but vital service led to its early retirement just 10 months after being deployed to Asia.

Lockheed A12 Specifications Technical Data / Description

Testing at Area 51 The radar footprint was tested by mounting an A-12 model on a pole at the secret test facility of Groom Lake, better known as Area-51. Although the A-12s were produced at Lockheed's Burbank facility, they were shipped in secrecy to the even more secret test base where flight-testing commenced over years to come.

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Headquarters A-12 Oxcart About the A-12 Oxcart CIA developed the highly secret A-12 OXCART as the U-2's successor, intended to meet the nation's need for a very fast, very high-flying reconnaissance aircraft that could avoid Soviet air defenses. CIA awarded the OXCART contract to Lockheed (builder of the U-2) in 1959.

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Give. Become a member Wall of Honor Ways to give Host an Event. Home / Multimedia Gallery / A-12 Aircraft. Early A-12s were tested with Pratt & Whitney J75 engines in 1961, but were retrofitted with J58 engines optimized to meet the speed rating of Mach 3.2 once they became available in 1963.

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Both of these jets were built for the purpose of reconnaissance, the A-12 for use by the CIA and the SR-71 for the US Air Force. The SR-71 has long been touted as the world's fastest jet, the A-12 was actually faster, at least according to declassified speeds.

Lockheed A12 USA Air Force Aviation Photo 0355286

During testing, the A-12 reached a speed of Mach 3.29 (over 2,200 mph) and an altitude of 90,000 feet,[iii] and in doing so, set an unbroken record for piloted jet aircraft.[iv] The development of the A-12 was no walk in the park. CIA set strict requirements for speed, altitude, range and radar cross-section.

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by Alex Hollings Here's What You Need to Know: In the years that followed, the United States government and the A-12 Avenger II's contractors, McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics, would go.

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The A-12 would be a large aircraft, with wingspan limited by the requirement to fit two A-12s on adjacent catapults on a carrier flight deck. In addition, two A-12s with folded wings had to be accommodated on a deck-edge elevator.

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Fri 12 Jan 2024 18.41 EST Last modified on Fri 12 Jan 2024 18.43 EST. Nasa has unveiled a one-of-a-kind quiet supersonic aircraft as part of the US space agency's mission to make commercial.

Lockheed A12 “OXCART” AviationMuseum

The Lockheed A-12 is a retired high-altitude, Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft built for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) by Lockheed 's Skunk Works, based on the designs of Clarence "Kelly" Johnson.