Clockwise from top left: Ghost Squadron. For search and rescue; National Reconnaissance Office. Dragon is code for infrared imaging on advanced KH-11 satellites; Desert Prowler. May represent Groom Lake, Nev., a k a Area 51; Special Projects Office. Oversaw F-117A stealth fighter support; 4451st Test Squadron. Stealth fighters; 413th Flight Test Squadron. Possibly referring to simulated or real electronic threats against aircraft. [From the NY Times, image and caption provided to them by Trevor Paglen]

Set your recorders. The artist Trevor Paglen will be on The Colbert Report Monday night to talk about his new book titled I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagon’s Black World. It’s an exploration of the patches and emblems created by various “secret” organizations funded by the confidential $32 billion portion of the Defense Department’s annual budget.

Visit this New York Times article for more on the subject.

Related: James’s post on Trevor Paglen’s solo show at Bellwether in November 2006.