What was "Have Key"?

I was digging through a book an the A-12 Avenger for information connected to another thread. While reading through the beginning of the book, I came across refrences to a Black Project that Predated the A-12 by almost 6 years. All I know is that it was a Navy program code named Have Key, and only got as far as a configuration study before all refrences to it vanished. I considered an A-12 connection, but ruled it out because the A-12 wasn't a Black Program, and HAVE KEY was.

What was HAVE KEY, and what became of it?

Tim

Originally posted by Ghost01
What was HAVE KEY, and what became of it?

As far as I can tell from the scarce info I read about it, HAVE KEY covered a design effort by General Dynamics for a stealthy delta flying wing design in the 1980s. As such, the HAVE KEY work could be regarded as a predecessor to the A-12. Other "code names" which are related to the same overall subject (General Dynamics stealthy delta design) are "Sneaky Pete", "Cold Pigeon" and "Model 100", although there are slightly conflicting reports which name referred to which concept in what timeframe. The fact that HAVE KEY was a Special Access Program was actually a problem, because the A-12 design team apparently didn't have full access to HAVE KEY R&D, leading to duplication of workload and costs.

Most of the above is based on info found in "The $5 Billion Misunderstanding - The Collapse of the Navy's A-12 Sealth Bomber Program", by James P Stevenson.

The site at www.habu2.net... has a drawing which it labels as "Sneaky Pete". I don't know if this drawing is accurate, or if this "Sneaky Pete" is anywhere near the designs studied under the slightly later HAVE KEY program.

Regards
yf

Wow my openion of the managing of the A-12 programe continues to go down hill. The fact that any company would duplicate R&D within its own company is mind boggling. One of the reasons I have trouble believeing the aurora theory.

What was Have key? It meant that the guy who possessed it could open his own front door. "Boom tish!" Sorry Tim I couldn't resist that bad joke after a bottle of good shiraz. I will do some digging though and see what I can find.

LEE.

Originally posted by yfxxx

As far as I can tell from the scarce info I read about it, HAVE KEY covered a design effort by General Dynamics for a stealthy delta flying wing design in the 1980s. As such, the HAVE KEY work could be regarded as a predecessor to the A-12.

Most of the above is based on info found in "The $5 Billion Misunderstanding - The Collapse of the Navy's A-12 Sealth Bomber Program", by James P Stevenson.

Gee Thanks YFXXX,

I read the book "The $5 Billion Misunderstanding - The Collapse of the Navy's A-12 Sealth Bomber Program", by James P Stevenson.

It was from that book that I found the code name Have Key. The point here is what was the Have Key program, and what were they trying to develop?

Was it some kind of strike aircraft program? Was it related to ATF? Was it another Stealth prototype?

Tim

Originally posted by Ghost01
The point here is what was the Have Key program, and what were they trying to develop?

Was it some kind of strike aircraft program? Was it related to ATF? Was it another Stealth prototype?

I got the impression that it was a strike aircraft design, i.e. similar in purpose to the F-117 and A-12. It was not meant for the ATF requirement.

However, I have no idea how far the HAVE KEY development evolved, and if any hardware was actually produced. I would guess (and that's essentially an uneducated guess !) that RCS models might have been tested, but I somehow doubt they came as far as a full-scale flying prototype.

Regards
yf