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Europe@War #14
We Were Never There: Volume 1: CIA U-2 Operations over Europe, USSR, and the Middle East, 1956-1960
Devised by Kelly Johnson and initially operated by the CIA, the U-2 is the world’s most famous ‘spyplane.’ It flew at unprecedented altitudes and carried the most sophisticated sensors available, all in the greatest secrecy. Operating from remote locations and without markings, they often took-off before first light. Ostensibly operated by civilians flying meteorological research missions, their bold overflights took them far across Eastern Europe, the USSR, Middle and Far East. However, many details of the aircraft’s operational history remain vague and a considerable amount is still classified. Continuing national political sensitivities have meant that much about these early operations has still not been fully revealed even more than 60 years later.
This book utilizes a large number of recently declassified documents to explore the remaining hidden details. It provides in-depth examinations of some missions not previously fully described and include more about Norway’s role in U-2 operations, and a breakdown of British U-2 overflights of the Middle East using recently released files from the British Ministry of Defence. It examines some of the U-2’s extensive efforts to collect intelligence on Soviet ballistic missile test launches and space program, on ‘Fast Move’ staging operations and lots more from these missions up to May 1960.
Chapters explore some of the ground-breaking technology employed by the U-2 to photograph and eavesdrop on Soviet nuclear, military and industrial activities. These include revealing secrets of the Fili heavy bomber production plant, just five miles from the Kremlin. Overflights of the ‘Arzamas-16' closed nuclear city, Vozrozhdeniya biological warfare center in the Aral Sea and the mystery that was Mozhaysk. Over 90 photographs, maps and illustrations provide details of the aircraft, the cameras and electronic defensive and eavesdropping systems. The specialized nuclear fallout sampling role is explored and the ‘weather packs’ installed to substantiate the wafer-thin false cover story of the U-2’s role as a ‘meteorological research’ aircraft. Maps, most never been seen before, record the detailed routes flown by U-2 pilots deep into denied airspace to reveal the secrets of Soviet military, nuclear, scientific and industrial sites.
This book utilizes a large number of recently declassified documents to explore the remaining hidden details. It provides in-depth examinations of some missions not previously fully described and include more about Norway’s role in U-2 operations, and a breakdown of British U-2 overflights of the Middle East using recently released files from the British Ministry of Defence. It examines some of the U-2’s extensive efforts to collect intelligence on Soviet ballistic missile test launches and space program, on ‘Fast Move’ staging operations and lots more from these missions up to May 1960.
Chapters explore some of the ground-breaking technology employed by the U-2 to photograph and eavesdrop on Soviet nuclear, military and industrial activities. These include revealing secrets of the Fili heavy bomber production plant, just five miles from the Kremlin. Overflights of the ‘Arzamas-16' closed nuclear city, Vozrozhdeniya biological warfare center in the Aral Sea and the mystery that was Mozhaysk. Over 90 photographs, maps and illustrations provide details of the aircraft, the cameras and electronic defensive and eavesdropping systems. The specialized nuclear fallout sampling role is explored and the ‘weather packs’ installed to substantiate the wafer-thin false cover story of the U-2’s role as a ‘meteorological research’ aircraft. Maps, most never been seen before, record the detailed routes flown by U-2 pilots deep into denied airspace to reveal the secrets of Soviet military, nuclear, scientific and industrial sites.
80 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2021
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October 9, 2023
Kevin Wright’s WE WERE NEVER THERE is a fine book on U-2 Operations over Europe, the Soviet Union, and the Near East during the period 1956-1960. Wright spent many hours researching records of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the British Ministry of Defence, interviewing both U-2 operators and historians to produce this book. This was no easy task in that many details of the aircraft’s operational history do remain vague, and a considerable amount is still classified. And today’s continuing national political sensitivities have meant that much about these early operations have still not been fully revealed: even sixty years later.
As background and during WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union fought as “partners.” But the relationship was strained on both sides. The U.S. had long been suspicious of Soviet Communism and their tyrannical leader Joseph Stalin. General Eisenhower, then Supreme Allied Commander in Europe had relied heavily on intelligence to successfully prosecute the war. When the WWII came to an end, post-war Soviet expansionism fueled American fears a Soviet plan to control the world. The distrust on both sides began a chilly “Cold War” with intense suspicions.
By 1953, now President Eisenhower, a large consumer of intelligence, was concerned of a perceived bomber and missile gap between the US and USSR. Something had to be done in as there was little information of intelligence value came out of the USSR. Human intelligence there was scant. A system had to be developed to determine how real the bomber and missile gap was. Eisenhower employed a Technological Capabilities Panel, led by James Killian, for some out-of-the-box thinking that recommended a proposal from Lockheed for an unusual single-engine aircraft to fly above 70,000 feet and be used for all weather intelligence gathering. That plane eventually became known as the U-2 Dragon Lady.
Designed by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson of Lockheed’s Skunkworks, the U-2 is perhaps the world’s most famous “spy plane.” First operated by the CIA, this aircraft flew at unheard-of altitudes above 70,000 feet, would operate from undisclosed remote locations, would not have markings on the fuselage or tail, and takeoff or land in the darkness under the utmost secrecy. Their audacious overflights took them over the Soviet Union, The Near (or Middle) East, The Far East, or across Eastern Europe.
Wright’s book WE WERE NEVER THERE uses extensive documents that were recently declassified to probe into the numerous hidden details such as British U-2 overflights in the Middle East, or the role that Norway played in U-2 Operations. There is even a fairly extensive examination of the U-2’s work in gathering intelligence on the Soviet ballistic missile tests, and the Soviet space program.
Further, this book takes a deep dive into a bit of the ground-breaking technology used by the U-2 reconnaissance system to listen and image USSR industrial, military, and nuclear operations. Over ninety photographs, illustrations, and maps, reveal some of the sensitive the U-2 missions, along with the IMINT and SIGINT systems used to collect valuable intelligence. There is even an air sampling role described: to collect nuclear fallout after detonation. Many of the maps have not been published before reveal many of the Soviet military sites of intense interest.
Overall, WE WERE NEVER THERE, provides in-depth detail about the early U-2, its systems, its missions, along with many maps and illustrations during the period 1956-60 that will appeal to the U-2 enthusiast.
As background and during WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union fought as “partners.” But the relationship was strained on both sides. The U.S. had long been suspicious of Soviet Communism and their tyrannical leader Joseph Stalin. General Eisenhower, then Supreme Allied Commander in Europe had relied heavily on intelligence to successfully prosecute the war. When the WWII came to an end, post-war Soviet expansionism fueled American fears a Soviet plan to control the world. The distrust on both sides began a chilly “Cold War” with intense suspicions.
By 1953, now President Eisenhower, a large consumer of intelligence, was concerned of a perceived bomber and missile gap between the US and USSR. Something had to be done in as there was little information of intelligence value came out of the USSR. Human intelligence there was scant. A system had to be developed to determine how real the bomber and missile gap was. Eisenhower employed a Technological Capabilities Panel, led by James Killian, for some out-of-the-box thinking that recommended a proposal from Lockheed for an unusual single-engine aircraft to fly above 70,000 feet and be used for all weather intelligence gathering. That plane eventually became known as the U-2 Dragon Lady.
Designed by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson of Lockheed’s Skunkworks, the U-2 is perhaps the world’s most famous “spy plane.” First operated by the CIA, this aircraft flew at unheard-of altitudes above 70,000 feet, would operate from undisclosed remote locations, would not have markings on the fuselage or tail, and takeoff or land in the darkness under the utmost secrecy. Their audacious overflights took them over the Soviet Union, The Near (or Middle) East, The Far East, or across Eastern Europe.
Wright’s book WE WERE NEVER THERE uses extensive documents that were recently declassified to probe into the numerous hidden details such as British U-2 overflights in the Middle East, or the role that Norway played in U-2 Operations. There is even a fairly extensive examination of the U-2’s work in gathering intelligence on the Soviet ballistic missile tests, and the Soviet space program.
Further, this book takes a deep dive into a bit of the ground-breaking technology used by the U-2 reconnaissance system to listen and image USSR industrial, military, and nuclear operations. Over ninety photographs, illustrations, and maps, reveal some of the sensitive the U-2 missions, along with the IMINT and SIGINT systems used to collect valuable intelligence. There is even an air sampling role described: to collect nuclear fallout after detonation. Many of the maps have not been published before reveal many of the Soviet military sites of intense interest.
Overall, WE WERE NEVER THERE, provides in-depth detail about the early U-2, its systems, its missions, along with many maps and illustrations during the period 1956-60 that will appeal to the U-2 enthusiast.
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