Approved for Release: 2013/06/25
Secret NOFORN
Appendix E
341
or more of the aircraft was always being repaired, and eventually
three of the five AQUILINE prototypes were destroyed in testing.
At this point the project was turned over to the Office of Special
Activities for operational testing. Flight tests
showed the aircraft to be successful by the standards originally set for
the project in 1967, as it flew 130 miles and obtained very high reso-
lution photography of a target before returning successfully to the
original launchsite. However, improving AQUILINE sufficiently to
make it a practical long-range reconnaissance system was estimated
to cost another $35 million and take two to three years. On the recom-
mendation of DDS&T Carl Duckett on 1 November 1971, Project
AQUILINE was canceled.
Secret
Approved for Release: 2013/06/25