U-2 Dragon Lady marks 70th anniversary with record-breaking flight across US

In a tribute to seven decades of service, a TU-2S Dragon Lady from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing completed the longest single flight in the history of the Lockheed U-2, covering all 48 contiguous US states. 

The mission began on the evening of July 31, 2025, from Beale Air Force Base (AFB), California. After more than 14 hours and over 6,000 nautical miles, the aircraft returned the next day, setting a new endurance record for the high-altitude reconnaissance platform. 

Initially developed in the 1950s by Lockheed’s Skunk Works, the U-2 became a Cold War icon, capable of flying above 70,000 feet on strategic reconnaissance missions. Despite its age, the aircraft remains a critical ISR asset for the US Air Force and continues to support missions ranging from national defense to disaster response and search and rescue. 

Notably, the mission took place almost 70 years to the day after Lockheed test pilot Tony LeVier inadvertently took flight in the U-2 prototype, Article 341, during what was meant to be a routine taxi test at Groom Lake, Nevada. Lifting off at just 70 knots on August 1, 1955, that unplanned hop marked the accidental maiden flight of the U-2 Dragon Lady.

“The character of war is changing, but our extreme ownership of the mission to build aircrew ready to exploit and dominate the electromagnetic spectrum and win will never change,” said Lieutenant Colonel John ‘JESTER’ Mattson, commander of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, the longest-serving flying unit in the US military. 

A dual test of aircraft performance and human endurance 

U.S. Air Force photoThe aircraft was flown by two of the U-2 program’s most experienced pilots: Cory ‘ULTRALORD’ Bartholomew, a flight safety officer and instructor, and Lieutenant Colonel ‘JETHRO,’ chief pilot of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron. Together, they hold the highest combined number of U-2 flight hours ever logged by two pilots in the same cockpit. 

“Eleven years ago, I imagined just how far we could push the U-2,” Bartholomew said. “Now, 70 years at 70,000 feet—it felt right to demonstrate the true capability of this aircraft.” 

The mission evaluated the aircraft’s range and the limits of its crew, with support from the 9th Physiological Support Group (PSPTS) and the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS). 

U-2’s future still open 

Although the U-2 was previously slated for retirement in 2026, the platform’s continued relevance and recent operational milestones have reignited debate in the US Department of Defense and Congress overextending its service life.

In September 2023, Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force completed the first flight of a U-2 modernized under the Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR). The ATR program introduced a new open mission systems (OMS)-compliant mission computer, modern cockpit displays, and upgraded avionics, enhancing the aircraft’s ability to support Joint All-Domain Operations.

In June 2025, the House Appropriations Committee barred the USAF from retiring more than eight U‑2 aircraft in FY26 and authorized $55 million for depot maintenance to fully restore three jets. The post U-2 Dragon Lady marks 70th anniversary with record-breaking flight across US appeared first on AeroTime.

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