The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed " Dragon Lady ", is an American single-engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated since the 1950s by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (above 70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering. [1]

Aug 2, 2023 · DAYTON, Ohio— The Air Force plans to retire its U-2 Dragon Lady fleet in fiscal 2026—but until then, officials say they’re hard at work to keep the iconic high-altitude …

The U-2 provides high-altitude, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance, day or night, in direct support of U.S. and allied forces. It delivers critical imagery and signals intelligence to …

Mar 13, 2025 · U-2, single-seat, high-altitude jet flown by the United States for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Perhaps the most famous spy plane ever built, the U-2, also known as the Dragon Lady, has been in service since 1956.

Mar 14, 2025 · Border surveillance flights show the wide array of applications for the U-2s as their retirement still looms on the horizon.

The U-2 is a difficult airplane to fly. With its long wings, light construction, and unusual landing gear, the Dragon Lady has always been a challenge even for the best pilots.

Jan 10, 2022 · For more than 60 years, the high-flying U-2 has gathered intelligence on hotspots all over the world. In that time, however, only one active-duty pilot has surpassed 3,000 flying …

Jan 5, 2001 · It is used to determine if the U?2 is generating a telltale contrail when over hostile territory. Considering its 103-foot wingspan and resultant roll dampening, the U?2 maneuvers surprisingly well at altitude; the controls are light and nicely harmonized.

May 10, 2019 · Challenging to fly and especially hard to land, the aircraft cruises comfortably in the neighborhood of 70,000 feet off the ground. We recently heard from two U-2 spy plane pilots about what...

Nov 4, 2023 · The Lockheed U-2, also known as the Dragon Lady, is a unique reconnaissance plane that has been in service since 1956. The U-2 was developed as a response to the need for better aerial reconnaissance capabilities to gather intelligence on the Soviet Union.