U-2 Spyplane Replacement Mulled By Lockheed Martin | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

 Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Wed, Aug 26, 2015

U-2 Spyplane Replacement Mulled By Lockheed Martin

Airplane Would Likely Not Be An 'Optionally Piloted' Aircraft

The Air Force is set to retire the iconic U-2 surveillance airplane, which first flew in 1955, in 2019, but the mission for the aircraft will likely continue.

To that end, the Lockheed Martin Skunkworks is considering a follow-on aircraft to the U-2 that would be stealthier and have a longer flight time, according to a report posted on the Popular Science website.

And while the U-2 has recently competed with UASs such as the Global Hawk for reconnaissance missions, the presence of a pilot on board the spyplane could be a deterrent to shooting it down. Scott Winstead, Lockheed's head of U-2 Strategic development, opines that a country like North Korea would have no qualms about shooting down an unmanned aircraft, but shooting down an unarmed, manned aircraft is considered an act of war. He added that the U-2 is also often used as a political tool by the U.S. Government.

(image from file)

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com


Advertisement

More News

Airborne 07.02.25: TikToker Arrested, Vietnam A/L Ground Hit, ATC Modernization

Also: Outlaw Prop 4 Mooney, Ready 4 Duty, Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Lost, Blue Origin Flt On his journey to become the first pilot to land solo on all seven continents, 19-year-old Etha>[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 07.03.25: Sonex HW, BlackShape Gabriel, PRA Fly-In 25

Also: DarkAero Update, Electric Aircraft Symposium, Updated Instructor Guide, OSH Homebuilts Celebrate The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.07.25): Discrete Code

Discrete Code As used in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS), any one of the 4096 selectable Mode 3/A aircraft transponder codes except those ending in zero zero; >[...]

Classic Aero-TV: DeltaHawk Aero Engine Defies Convention

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Deviation from the Historical Mean Racine, Wisconsin-based DeltaHawk is a privately-held manufacturer of reciprocating engines for aircraft and hybrid >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.07.25)

Aero Linx: Formation and Safety Team (F.A.S.T.), USA The Formation and Safety Team (FAST) is a worldwide, educational organization dedicated to teaching safe formation flying in Wa>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Change Display

Headlines Only | Headlines w/ Teasers | View Everything

Advertisement

Top Videos

Airborne-NextGen 07.08.25: Joby in Dubai, Army Electra, Archer iin Abu Dhabi

Airborne 07.07.25: Sully v Bedford, RAF Vandalism, Discovery Moving?

Airborne Affordable Flyers 07.03.25: Sonex HW, BlackShape Gabriel, PRA Fly-In 25

See All

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC