US Congress Blocks U-2 Retirement, Allocates Funds for Readiness

The US Air Force's U-2S "Dragon Lady" high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, which has been in service for 70 years, is slated for complete retirement next year. However, the US Congress has recently intervened. The House Appropriations Committee recently unveiled its draft defense budget for fiscal year 2027, not only prohibiting the Air Force from retiring more than two U-2S aircraft within the next year but also allocating an additional $81 million (approximately NT$2.4 billion) to restore four U-2S aircraft to combat readiness.

According to reports from the military news website "The War Zone," the US Air Force has consistently advocated for the complete retirement of the U-2S fleet in recent years. They argue that this high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, born during the Cold War, is no longer suitable for future high-threat combat environments and that maintenance costs continue to escalate. The US military currently retains 23 U-2 series aircraft, including 20 single-seat U-2S models and 3 two-seat TU-2S trainers.

According to the budget bill, in addition to limiting the number of retirements, Congress also requires the Air Force to fully overhaul four U-2 aircraft through depot-level maintenance. This type of maintenance typically involves complete disassembly of the airframe, structural inspection, repainting, and system upgrades, and is considered a crucial measure for extending the lifespan of aging fleets.

The Pentagon's force structure report, released in May this year, reiterated its stance on retirement, stating that the U-2 is no longer suitable for future high-end conflict environments and that continued operation would pose security, logistical, and financial risks. The report suggested that relevant funds should be prioritized for other modernization programs.

However, Congress has consistently opposed the complete retirement of the U-2 for years, primarily due to concerns about a gap in surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Despite rapid advancements in satellite reconnaissance capabilities, the U-2 still possesses a rare ultra-high-altitude operational capability among currently active aircraft. It can perform missions at altitudes exceeding 70,000 feet (approximately 21,336 meters) for extended periods and can carry various electronic intelligence, optical reconnaissance, and communication relay equipment.

During the incident of a Chinese high-altitude balloon flying over North America in 2023, the US military dispatched a U-2 to fly above the balloon to collect intelligence, demonstrating its unique high-altitude surveillance advantage. Furthermore, the U-2 has long been involved in non-warfare missions such as anti-drug operations, border surveillance, humanitarian aid, and disaster response.

Notably, the US Air Force has been actively developing new-generation high-altitude reconnaissance platforms in recent years. It is widely believed that the stealthy high-altitude drone, known as the RQ-180, has gradually taken over some U-2 missions. In early this year, suspected RQ-180 activity was reported in Greece, drawing significant attention from the military community.

Concurrently, the US Space Force is constructing a new generation of space surveillance satellite constellations, aiming to replace some traditional aerial reconnaissance platforms with all-weather, global surveillance capabilities. However, these systems are still in the deployment phase, and the Space Force estimates they will not achieve initial operational capability until 2028 at the earliest.

Analysis suggests that as new platforms like the RQ-180 and space surveillance systems are not yet fully mature, Congress remains cautious about the U-2's retirement. This latest bill not only once again prevents complete retirement but also requires the restoration of some aircraft to combat readiness, reflecting Congress's view that this Cold War-era legendary reconnaissance aircraft still holds irreplaceable strategic value before the new generation of intelligence platforms fully takes over.