U-2 To Be Retired

[ORAC]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...etary-decision

U-2 Retirement Moves Forward With Defense Secretary Decision

The U.S. Air Force's proposed plans to retire all of its iconic U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes by 2026 have taken a major step forward with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's signing of a critical waiver to make the controversial move a reality.

This mechanism allows the Secretary of Defense to jettison congressional requirements that would ensure the capabilities lost by the end of the U-2 program would be replaced in a cost-effective manner.

The Pentagon wants supplant the U-2s with a mix of space-based systems and other assets, widely believed to include one or more advanced, high-flying, classified drones, but it isn't clear when those capabilities will be fully available in sufficient quantities.

A Department of Defense official confirmed today to The War Zone that Secretary Austin had signed the waiver. When exactly the waiver was signed is unknown, but independent aviation journalist and U-2 expert Chris Pocock wrote in an October 12 blog post that the Air Force had told him it was "still in staffing."…..

[dead_pan]

Of course, the bigger question is what will happens to all those Dodge Charger chase cars? TBH its more fun watching them haul ar*e along the runway than it is watching the hairyplane itself.

[downsizer]

Originally Posted by downsizer

I wish they'd retire. Been making a racket for years now and bono must be right up his own arse.

Just quoting myself here because I stand by this statement.

[HOVIS]

Originally Posted by tdracer

Don't worry, they'll replace it with the new reconnaissance 'D' version of F-35 (anyone out there good enough with Photoshop to graft some glider wings onto an F-35 fuselage?)

On a recent visit to a museum I was quite taken aback when I noticed the wingspan of the Global Hawk is longer than the U2.

[Lonewolf_50]

Was involved (a little bit) in some operational evals of Global Hawk back in the 00's. I was given to understand that it would replace the U-2.
It's nearly 20 years later and the U-2 is still flying.
Pretty impressive life span, right up there with the Buff.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by dead_pan

Of course, the bigger question is what will happens to all those Dodge Charger chase cars? TBH its more fun watching them haul ar*e along the runway than it is watching the hairyplane itself.

Chrysler stop making the Charger and Challenger next month, and with it, the curtain finally falls on Mopar V8 engine production cars, so they'll have to buy a GM or Ford if they need to replace the chase cars before they retire the old Dragon Lady.