USAF plots U-2S Dragon Lady retirement for 2026

The USAF has confirmed that it plans to retire its fleet of U-2S Dragon Lady high-altitude surveillance aircraft in 2026, after the air arm’s FY24 budget documents noted that expectations were for “protective [National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)] language to be waived… allowing the USAF to move forward with U-2 divestment in FY26.” As with the A-10C Thunderbolt II, the USAF has proposed retiring the U-2 fleet on a number of occasions during the past two decades. Last year, the