For 60 years, the U-2 spyplane - also known as the Dragon Lady - has served the U.S. Air Force well. Beginning in the 1950s, through the Cold War, until today, the high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft has had a successful career and its performance is viewed with affection in defense circles.
By 2019, however, it is set to retire and Lockheed Martin announced its possible replacement last week: the TR-X, the second generation U-2 spy plane.
"Sixty years after its first flight, the U-2's incredible technological and operational capabilities are enabling missions from natural disaster support to intelligence gathering. And should the need arise, the team has a pretty good idea about where to take the Dragon Lady next," Scott Winstead, strategic business manager for the U-2 program, said in a Daily Mail report.
Like the Dragon Lady, the development of TR-X is also expected to be shrouded in secrecy. However, Lockheed Martin's briefing provided important details about the next spy plane. First, it was revealed that the new model will not look that much different from U-2's design. It will also be powered by similar General Electric F118 engine and will have the same payload capability. In addition, it will have the same cruising altitude, speed and climb rate, GizMag reported.
New improvements to the TR-X, which presently exists only on paper, include better stealth capability with its smaller radar footprint in addition to better survival rate. It will also be equipped with new sensors and a laser weapon, according to Gizmag.
The TR-X will be ready by 2025, according to Popular Science.
