U-2 Spy Plane Just Keeps Getting Better And Better
More recently, the U-2 deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has been additionally used for a variety of purposes including scientific research, communications, and satellite calibration.
ByMaya CarlinPublished10 seconds ago
Lockheed Martin’s U-2 Dragon Lady this week made its first flight with an updated avionics system. According to the manufacturer, the Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) fitted onto the airframe will enhance the U-2’s capabilities.
Specifically, a new mission computer with an open-mission systems hardware and navigation software updates will enable the aircraft to communicate with platforms and networks at “disparate security levels.”
Introducing the Dragon Lady
Aviation buffs and industry analysts highly respect the U-2. It has been one of the country’s best secret aerial reconnaissance platforms for more than half a century.
After World War II, U.S. officials wanted advanced capabilities to better spy on their Soviet counterparts. The idea was to avoid a future surprise attack similar to Pearl Harbor. At the time, the U.S. relied on photographs taken of the USSR during the war, making the need for more current intelligence a top priority. The Beacon Hill Report, which was commissioned by the Air Force, determined that a plane able to take photographs of the Soviet Union would be the most efficient spy craft. The service solicited design plans from aircraft companies for a platform that could fly at 70,000 feet over a target with roughly 1,700 miles of operational radius.
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/09/u-2-spy-plane-just-keeps-getting-better-and-better/
