off ▁using ▁jet ▁assist ed ▁take off ▁( J AT O ) ▁ro cket ▁boost ers , ▁with ▁initial ▁take off ▁tests ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁However , ▁the ▁Ne pt une ▁could ▁not ▁land ▁on ▁a ▁car rier , ▁therefore ▁the ▁crew ▁had ▁to ▁either ▁make ▁their ▁way ▁to ▁a ▁friendly ▁land ▁base ▁after ▁a ▁strike , ▁or ▁d itch ▁in ▁the ▁sea ▁near ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁vessel . ▁It ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁this ▁emer gency ▁role ▁by ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁A J ▁Sav age , ▁the ▁first ▁nuclear ▁strike ▁aircraft ▁that ▁was ▁fully ▁capable ▁of ▁car rier ▁launch ▁and ▁recovery ▁operations ; ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁short - l ived ▁in ▁that ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁US ▁Navy ▁was ▁adopt ing ▁fully ▁jet ▁power ed ▁nuclear ▁strike ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Cover t ▁operations ▁P 2 V - 7 U / R B - 6 9 A ▁variants ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁under ▁Project ▁Cher ry , ▁the ▁US ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁( CI A ) ▁obtained ▁five ▁newly ▁built ▁P 2 V - 7 ▁and ▁converted ▁these ▁into ▁P 2 V - 7 U / R B - 6 9 A ▁variants ▁by ▁Lock he ed ' s ▁Sk unk ▁Works ▁at ▁H ang ar ▁B 5 ▁in ▁Bur bank , ▁California , ▁for ▁the ▁C IA ' s ▁own ▁private ▁fleet ▁of ▁cover t ▁EL INT / fer ret ▁aircraft . ▁Later , ▁to ▁make ▁up ▁for ▁P 2 V - 7