Background In the 1960s, U-2s could not reach certain remote targets because political difficulties prevented basing the aircraft in some foreign nations. The CIA and U.S. Navy, therefore, studied the idea of launching U-2s from aircraft carriers. Project Whale Tale fitted a few U-2s with arresting hooks like the one on display here. The hooks would snag cables strung across aircraft carrier decks and “capture” aircraft, bringing them to a quick stop. The small black plate on the shaft shows that this hook was used in five landings, and could be used up to 20 times. To withstand rough carrier…
Author: John Greenewald
Background According to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), this is their mission statement: The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) has served the information needs of the Defense community for more than 70 years. DTIC reports to the Assistant Secretary of Defense For Research and Engineering ASD(RE). Our mission is to provide essential, technical research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) information rapidly, accurately and reliably to support our DoD customers’ needs. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you are able to request “report bibliographies” – a listing of all reports that DTIC has in their system, which pertain to…
Revolutionary Camera Recording Propulsion Data Completes Groundbreaking Test While thousands turned out to watch NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) recently complete a full-scale test of its booster, few were aware of the other major test occurring simultaneously. NASA’s High Dynamic Range Stereo X (HiDyRS-X) project, a revolutionary high-speed, high dynamic range camera, filmed the test, recording propulsion video data in never before seen detail. The HiDyRS-X project originated from a problem that exists when trying to film rocket motor tests. Rocket motor plumes, in addition to being extremely loud, are also extremely bright, making them difficult to record without drastically…
Background In August of 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was successful in getting the White House to declassify the PRESIDENTIAL POLICY GUIDANCE: White House Rules on Targeted Killing document, which explains the framework for drone strikes. According to the ACLU: In response to a court order in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Obama administration has released a redacted version of the White House document that sets out the government’s policy framework for drone strikes “outside the United States and areas of actual hostilities.” The Presidential Policy Guidance, once known as “the Playbook,” was issued…
Background Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I requested all UFO documents from The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) is both the name of the independent federal agency that oversees all U.S. civilian international media and the name of the board that governs those broadcasts. According to the BBG, their mission is “to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” Since the U.S. Government has been pretty adamant about having no interest in the phenomena since the closure of Project Blue Book in 1969, I was surprised…