In a demonstration of resistance and operational capacity, the Spy U-2 Dragon Lady plane set new records during a commemorative flight for the 70th anniversary of its first test, held on August 1, 1955.
According to the United States Air Force, the aircraft took off from Beale Air Base on July 31 and ran over 6,000 nautical miles over the 48 continental states, beating the duration for its category, more than 14 hours in the air. The mission, called Dragon70, honored the history of the U-2 program, although it did not exceed the altitude mark, as initially planned.
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Developed during the Cold War for recognition missions on Soviet Union, the U-2 remains a key piece in military intelligence, despite retirement plans by 2026. Its ability to operate at more than 70,000 feet altitude and load multiple sensors make it irreplaceable in certain missions, such as Chinese spy balloon monitoring in 2023.
However, its vulnerability to modern air defense systems, especially in conflict scenarios with powers such as China and Russia, presses its replacement with more advanced technologies.
Dragon Lady, famous for the 1960 incident Francis Gary Powers was shot down on the USSR, remains relevant thanks to its versatility. Unlike satellites, U-2 can be quickly repositioned and remain hours of areas of interest, including domestic missions such as Mexico border surveillance.
While the US Air Force evaluates its future, the record is proving that even after seven decades, the legendary plane is still surprising.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: x @usairforce | This content was created with the help of AI and revised by the editorial team
#DYK: The U-2 “Dragon Lady” can fly to the edge of space! 🐲 🌎
The Air Force recently partnered with content creator @sameckholm to show what it takes to be mission ready at 70,000 feet.
Link available here: 👇https://t.co/uu4BiPQE8a
— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) February 20, 2025
