The 70th Anniversary of the U-2 Dragon Lady was celebrated at the Skunk Works, in the hangar where the iconic spyplanes are overhauled
Skunk Works
HAPPY U-2 BIRTHDAY – A RECORD FLIGHT, AND AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR OF OPERATIONS!
The 70th anniversary of the U-2 Dragon Lady was celebrated in fine style at Beale AFB last Friday, with a record-length flight that flew over all 48 lower states in the US. Party-goers gathered at Beale to celebrate the birthday also learned informally, that the USAF leadership has bowed to pressure from Congress and the … Continue reading HAPPY U-2 BIRTHDAY – A RECORD FLIGHT, AND AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR OF OPERATIONS!
70 YEARS AT 70,000 FEET
The extraordinary U-2 Dragon Lady first flew 70 years ago, and is still going strong
STAY OF EXECUTION FOR THE U-2 DRAGON LADY?
The US Congress has prevented the USAF from taking further actions to retire the U-2 this year, but this will likely be only a temporary reprieve.
CONGRESS PUSHES BACK ON U-2 RETIREMENT. COCOMs TO FOLLOW?
A House of Representatives committee wants to prevent the USAF retiring the Dragon Lady.
CAN THE U-2 BE REPLACED BY SATELLITES?
The official position of the US Air Force is that the U-2 can be replaced by satellites. I have discussed this briefly in previous posts, such as this one, which includes a great SAR satellite image of RAF Fairford – a U-2 base – taken by Capella Space during last year’s Royal International Air Tattoo … Continue reading CAN THE U-2 BE REPLACED BY SATELLITES?
ONLY TWO MORE YEARS FOR THE DRAGON LADY?
In its Fiscal Year 2024 budget request earlier this year, the US Air Force indicated a U-2 retirement date in FY 2026. However, HQ USAF said last week that the plan is to end operations in the very first month of FY2026, eg October 2025. In a written response to my questions about the planned … Continue reading ONLY TWO MORE YEARS FOR THE DRAGON LADY?
SUNSET IN 2026 FOR THE U-2?
A U-2ST trainer lands at Beale AFB, the home of the U-2 fleet (USAF) The US Air Force leadership is now set on retiring the Dragon Lady in Fiscal Year 2026. Oh, we’ve heard this all before, say the U-2 ‘brotherhood’. I don’t share their complacency. Let’s examine the issues in detail. Here’s what … Continue reading SUNSET IN 2026 FOR THE U-2?
CLOUDS, CODES AND AI ON “THE PERFECT PLATFORM”
“The U-2 is the perfect platform to drive cutting-edge military technology” said the 9th Wing commander Col Heather Fox. She was referring to recent pioneering U-2 flights that have explored how cloud computing can install innovative software into aircraft that are already airborne, enabling sensors and navigation systems to react quickly to fast-changing threats. The … Continue reading CLOUDS, CODES AND AI ON “THE PERFECT PLATFORM”
Dragon Lady Today 