Lockheed U-2

For the band, see U2 (band).

The U-2 (nicknamed the Dragon Lady) is an espionage fixed-wing aircraft made by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). It first flew in 1955 and was introduced in 1957. It flies a lot like a glider.^[1] It was made during the Cold War, because the United States needed a way to look at the Soviet military from high up. Taiwan also used it to spy on China.

The United States wanted to keep the purpose of the U-2 secret,^[2] but on May 1, 1960, Francis Gary Powers was shot down in his U-2 by a Soviet SAM SA-2 missile. In 1962, Powers was released and traded for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.^[3] After this, the SR-71 Blackbird started spying on the Soviet Union, which was faster and harder to see on radar.

The U-2 is still in service even though the design is over 50 years old.

1. ↑ "U-2 High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft".
2. ↑ "Aerospaceweb.org - Aircraft Museum - U-2 Dragon Lady". www.aerospaceweb.org.
3. ↑ "Military and Veteran Benefits, News, Veteran Jobs". www.military.com.