The Archangel and the OXCART: The Lockheed A-12 Blackbirds and the Dawn of Mach III Reconnaissance

The A-12 Blackbird has long been the source of speculation. Born in secrecy, it represented a massive technological leap at a time when the Cold War was at its most dangerous point. When first flown in April 1962, the A-12 was 20 years ahead of any other jet aircraft. Capable of flight at speeds well over 2,000 mph and altitudes above 90,000 feet, it was an astonishing airplane. Build by Lockheed's famous "Skunk Works," this fastest and highest flying Blackbird proved its worth during test flights from Area 51, the famous "remote base in the Nevada desert." In less than 10 years, the A-12 spawned a new class of Mach III manned aircraft that remains unequaled by any known operational jets flying today. Until 2001, little was known about the A-12 because its missions were shrouded in CIA secrecy while, on the other hand, the Air Force's SR-71, although slightly larger and slower, garnered most of the publicity.

The authors began to set the record straight about the A-12 in 2001 with the publication of A-12 Blackbird: Declassified. With this book, The Archangel and the OXCART: The Lockeed A-12 Blackbirds and the Dawn of Mach III Reconnaissance, we hope to bring the Blackbird story up to date with new details revealed by recent CIA declassifications of once very secret information. Once secret missions have come now to light, which has allowed us to clarify and even correct major errors in the historical record.