The U.S. Air Force is again looking to retire its fleet of iconic U-2S Dragon Lady spy planes by 2026, according to a new report. The service is also reportedly sticking to its previously announced plan to get rid of its remaining RQ-4 Global Hawk drones, the fate of which has often been intertwined with that of the U-2s, within four years. The planned divestment of the U-2s adds to other evidence in recent years that a top-secret, high-flying, stealth spy drone commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or variants or derivatives thereof, are close to becoming operational, if they aren’t to some degree already.
Aviation Week first reported earlier today that the Air Force’s U-2 fleet is again on the chopping block based on official information the outlet said it obtained. This follows the rollout of the Air Force’s latest budget proposal, which includes plans to cut 310 aircraft, but no Dragon Ladies, in the 2024 Fiscal Year. A single Global Hawk does stand to be divested in the upcoming fiscal cycle. As it stands now, the Air Force has around 27 U-2s, including a small number of two-seat TU-2S trainers, and some 10 RQ-4 Global Hawks, all…
