These upgrades also included the transition to the GE F118-101 engine which resulted in the re-designation of all Air Force U-2 aircraft to the U-2S. Since 1994, $1.7 billion has been invested to modernize the U-2 airframe and sensors.
The last U-2 and TR-1 aircraft were delivered in October 1989 in 1992 all TR-1s and U-2s were designated as U-2Rs. A tactical reconnaissance version, the TR-1A, first flew in August 1981 and was structurally identical to the U-2R. The U-2R, first flown in 1967, was 40 percent larger and more capable than the original aircraft. When requested, the U-2 also provides peacetime reconnaissance in support of disaster relief from floods, earthquakes, and forest fires as well as search and rescue operations. Recently, the U-2 has provided intelligence during operations in Korea, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In October 1962, the U-2 photographed the buildup of Soviet offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba, touching off the Cuban Missile Crisis. decision makers with key intelligence on Soviet military capability. Early flights over the Soviet Union in the late 1950s provided the president and other U.S. The aircraft has the following sensor packages: electro-optical infrared camera, optical bar camera, advanced synthetic aperture radar, signals intelligence, and network-centric communication.īuilt in complete secrecy by Kelly Johnson and the Lockheed Skunk Works, the original U-2A first flew in August 1955.
U2 AIRCRAFT UPGRADE
The U-2S Block 10 electrical system upgrade replaced legacy wiring with advanced fiber-optic technology and lowered the overall electronic noise signature to provide a quieter platform for the newest generation of sensors. The U-2 is powered by a lightweight, fuel efficient General Electric F118-101 engine, which negates the need for air refueling on long duration missions. These characteristics combine to earn the U-2 a widely accepted title as the most difficult aircraft in the world to fly. A second U-2 pilot normally "chases" each landing in a high-performance vehicle, assisting the pilot by providing radio inputs for altitude and runway alignment. The low-altitude handling characteristics of the aircraft and bicycle-type landing gear require precise control inputs during landing forward visibility is also limited due to the extended aircraft nose and "taildragger" configuration.
U2 AIRCRAFT FULL
Routinely flown at altitudes over 70,000 feet, the U-2 pilot must wear a full pressure suit similar to those worn by astronauts. MASINT provides indications of recent activity in areas of interest and reveals efforts to conceal the placement or true nature of man-made objects. All intelligence products except for wet film can be transmitted in near real-time anywhere in the world via air-to-ground or air-to-satellite data links, rapidly providing critical information to combatant commanders. The U-2 also carries a signals intelligence payload. In addition, it also supports high-resolution, broad-area synoptic coverage provided by the optical bar camera producing traditional film products which are developed and analyzed after landing. The U-2 is capable of gathering a variety of imagery, including multi-spectral electro-optic, infrared, and synthetic aperture radar products which can be stored or sent to ground exploitation centers. Long and narrow wings give the U-2 glider-like characteristics and allow it to quickly lift heavy sensor payloads to unmatched altitudes, keeping them there for extended periods of time. The U-2S is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude/near space reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft providing signals, imagery, and electronic measurements and signature intelligence, or MASINT. military’s most sensitive spy missions worldwide.
One of the United States’ most secret aerial reconnaissance platforms for more than half a century, the storied U-2 Dragon Lady still flies some of the U.S. Power Plant: One General Electric F118-101 engineĬeiling: Above 70,000 feet (21,212+ meters) Categories Military Aircraft Air Force Aircraft Surveillance Aircraft Air Force Equipment
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