Overview

• On August 1, a U-2 Dragon Lady operating as DRAGON 70 departed Beale AFB around 9:30 p.m. local time to break category-class endurance and altitude records, though exact figures have not been released.
• The pilot told Atlanta Center that a late-flight zoom climb would capitalize on low fuel weight to reach maximum altitude before landing the aircraft the following afternoon.
• The records underscore the U-2’s unique ISR capabilities at over 70,000 feet even as its Cold War–era design faces growing susceptibility to advanced air defenses.
• The Air Force has confirmed the record-setting mission and is assessing whether to retire the U-2 fleet by its planned 2026 sunset or extend its service in light of emerging unmanned alternatives.
• Since its 1955 debut under the secret Aquatone program, the U-2 has carried out high-altitude reconnaissance missions—from Soviet overflights during the Cold War to U.S.-Mexico border patrols and the 2023 Chinese spy balloon interception.