U.S. Keeps U-2 Surveillance Aircraft Ready as Air Force Trains for Attacked Forward Bases.

On January 22, 2026, maintainers from the U.S. Air Force 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base carried out a high-intensity readiness drill that brought a U-2 Dragon Lady to launch under simulated contested conditions during Exercise DRAGON SHIELD, with ground crews operating in austere circumstances that included Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear. The scenario was designed to validate the Air Force’s ability to generate intelligence sorties even when bases are under threat, communications are degraded, and personnel are forced to work masked, restricted, and under time pressure. At its core, the exercise delivered a clear operational signal: in a high-end conflict, the United States intends to keep its most valuable intelligence aircraft flying on demand. Read more...

The U-2 Dragon Lady is a high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft capable of operating above 70,000 feet, equipped with advanced imagery and signals intelligence sensors, and able to transmit near real-time data for wide-area surveillance, strategic warning, and tactical support in contested environments (Picture source: U.S. DoW).