Two U-2 pilots, together with a Wisconsin native, share uncommon insights on the legendary spy airplane’s enduring legacy and relevance in at the moment’s battlespace.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 drew a record-breaking crowd of 704,000 aviation fans, in line with the Experimental Plane Affiliation, making it the most important occasion within the present’s historical past, eclipsing the earlier document of 686,000, set in 2024. For one week, July 21–27, 2025, Wisconsin’s Wittman Regional Airport reworked into the world’s busiest airfield and a brief dwelling for greater than 10,000 plane, from handcrafted homebuilts and basic warbirds to the most recent in aerospace innovation.
But among the many hundreds of plane on show, few commanded the form of consideration and respect earned by the Lockheed U‑2 Dragon Girl. Marking the seventieth anniversary of its first flight in 1955, the U‑2’s presence at Boeing Plaza wasn’t only a nod to Chilly Battle historical past. It was a dwelling image of a reconnaissance platform nonetheless being flown at the moment on the fringe of house, by pilots who put on David Clark Firm S1034 pressurized fits and practice for missions few ever see.
U-2 program historical past
The U‑2’s origins hint again to the early years of the Chilly Battle, when U.S. intelligence companies urgently sought a technique to look deep into Soviet territory with out setting off a conflict. Designed in secret by Kelly Johnson’s legendary Skunk Works crew at Lockheed, the U‑2 was conceived as a light-weight, jet-powered plane able to flying at altitudes above 70,000 toes — nicely past the attain of Soviet fighters or surface-to-air missiles, or so it was thought.
The plane’s growth moved at astonishing velocity. Simply eight months after receiving the go-ahead, the primary prototype, designated Article 341, was prepared for flight at Groom Lake, Nevada. On August 1, 1955, famed check pilot Tony LeVier tried a high-speed taxi check. However because the U‑2 accelerated, its lengthy, glider-like wings unexpectedly generated sufficient raise to get it airborne. Although unintended, the plane flew briefly earlier than LeVier introduced it again down safely on the runway.
The official first flight occurred simply days later, on August 4, 1955, when LeVier once more took the controls for a deliberate and managed ascent. That temporary mission marked the start of a program that might stay cloaked in secrecy for years and finally form international surveillance, diplomacy, and army doctrine for many years to return.
Within the years that adopted, the U‑2 would fly over the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, North Korea, and later Iraq and Afghanistan, capturing detailed strategic imagery. Its most notorious mission got here on Could 1, 1960, when pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet territory, beginning a world disaster and revealing this system to the world. But regardless of that high-profile setback, the Dragon Girl has endured, re-engined, continuously up to date, and refitted for the calls for of contemporary intelligence gathering.
Regardless of being designed within the Fifties, the U‑2 has remained remarkably adaptable, present process quite a few upgrades to satisfy the evolving calls for of worldwide intelligence and reconnaissance. After the Chilly Battle, the plane shifted from peering over enemy borders to supporting real-time battlefield consciousness. Throughout Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, U‑2s offered high-resolution imagery and indicators intelligence that proved important for tactical and strategic decision-making.
All through its operational historical past, the plane was regularly modernized. The present U‑2S variant, launched within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, includes a extra highly effective Common Electrical F118 engine, superior electro-optical sensors, artificial aperture radar, and cutting-edge information hyperlink techniques that enable for close to real-time transmission of intelligence to floor commanders. Pilots proceed to put on strain fits, as missions usually attain altitudes above 70,000 toes, inserting them on the sting of Earth’s ambiance, the place the curvature of the planet is seen.
The U‑2 additionally gained new relevance post-9/11, supporting missions throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and different areas the place high-altitude surveillance was important. Its capacity to loiter above contested airspace for hours whereas gathering a number of types of intelligence made it an irreplaceable asset in a world of quickly evolving threats.
Extra not too long ago, the U‑2 has been examined in multi-domain operations, integrating with cyber, house, and synthetic intelligence platforms. At the same time as unmanned techniques just like the RQ‑4 World Hawk have entered service, the Dragon Girl continues to outperform them in payload flexibility, responsiveness, and mission versatility.
Although usually threatened with retirement, the U‑2 has repeatedly earned a reprieve due to its unmatched altitude, adaptability, and human-in-the-loop functionality. Relatively than being phased out, the U‑2 continues being built-in into networks that may quickly share information throughout a number of domains, guaranteeing its continued relevance as a node in Twenty first-century warfare.
For all its thriller and cutting-edge functionality, the U‑2 stays, at its core, a human-driven platform. Pilots not solely fly the plane, additionally they show the self-discipline, precision, and endurance that high-altitude reconnaissance calls for. Few perceive this higher than Lt. Col. Jon “Huggy” Huggins, a revered determine throughout the U‑2 neighborhood. With a protracted and distinguished profession flying the Dragon Girl in addition to the T-38, Huggy continues to function a GS-13 civilian U‑2 teacher pilot, mentoring the following technology of U‑2 aviators and carrying ahead the institutional data.
Becoming a member of him at this yr’s AirVenture tribute was Lt. Col. “GOGO” (notice: for operational safety functions, solely call-sign names are used), an active-duty pilot and Inspector Common with the ninth Reconnaissance Wing’s 99th Reconnaissance Squadron. Lt. Col. GOGO is a Wisconsin native who grew up simply 20 miles from Oshkosh. His touchdown of the U‑2 at Wittman Subject wasn’t only a showcase of the notorious Dragon Girl — it was additionally a homecoming, including a private connection to an already historic second.
The Aviationist was privileged to talk with each males in Oshkosh. Within the interviews that observe, they share insights into the plane, the approach to life of U‑2 pilots, and the explanations this Chilly Battle icon stays an important piece of at the moment’s trendy ISR structure.
Interview with Lt. Colonel GOGO
Lt. Col. GOGO is Inspector Common, ninth Reconnaissance Wing, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, U-2 pilot at Beale Air Drive Base, California.
TheAviationist: Are you able to please present us your background, the place you grew up, the place you went to high school and your path to flying the U-2?
Positive, so I’m Lt. Colonel, GOGO. I grew up about 20 minutes south of Oshkosh in Fond du Lac. I lived there till I went to varsity, on the College of Wisconsin-Madison. I did engineering, and joined ROTC, the final two years. I then picked up a pilot slot, and was in a position to attend pilot coaching at Columbus Air Drive Base. After finishing pilot coaching, I used to be then chosen to be a FAIP (First Project Teacher Pilot) within the T-6. I did that for about two and a half years, then, I attempted to use to the U-2 whereas I used to be at Columbus. The timing didn’t fairly work out with the parents within the U-2 program, subsequently, I went to Davis-Monthan to fly within the EC-130 Compass Name. I accomplished just a few deployments whereas stationed at Davis-Monthan, flew roughly 800 hours, after which reapplied to the U-2 program. I interviewed and was finally accepted. Thus, in 2017 I arrived at Beale Air Drive Base, went by way of coaching and accomplished my first deployment in 2018.
What squadron are you in now at Beale AFB, and what squadron did you begin in?
All U-2 pilots begin within the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron after which transfer to the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron. On the 99th I grew to become the OG Government, then after that I did a tour on the Pentagon, after the Pentagon, I got here again to Beale AFB, went by way of retraining on the 1st Recon. Squadron, changing into the Director of Operations of the first Recon. Squadron. At present I’m the Inspector Common of the 99th Recon. Squadron.
What number of hours do you have got within the U-2 and complete flight hours?
I’ve about 650 hours within the U-2, and roughly 3000 complete hours.
Thanks for that abstract. What drew you to the U-2, as it’s not a quite common path for US Air Drive pilots?
Nicely truthfully it was the web postings of “Huggy”, who you already interviewed. He is a superb salesman, and he was truthful about every thing he stated. It’s a singular mission, it’s a cool mission, one thing that only a few get to do and simply an superior expertise. It’s confirmed to be that.
How is the neighborhood of U-2 pilots completely different from different flying communities you’ve been in?
It’s a very small neighborhood, very tight knit. For higher or for worse, there’s no soiled laundry that everybody doesn’t get to learn about. So, you higher like your brothers and sisters in arms. Then again, you don’t should take care of a number of the, project “isms”, of the large Air Drive, as a result of, everybody is aware of who you’re, the place you’re going.
We’re a bit bit odd geese as a result of it takes a singular persona to need to go get in that swimsuit the place you possibly can’t scratch your nostril for 12 hours, fly off by your self for as much as 12 to 14 hours, unafraid. Due to this fact, we’ve got to have just a few screws unfastened to need to try this within the first place. So, we’re a bit bit loopy, however I might additionally say we’re devoted professionals. There’s no one who’s extra devoted to the ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), mission set and offering intelligence, than the crop of U-2 pilots you’ve obtained from the Air Drive proper now. They’re true professionals, and they’re fixing issues that commanders don’t even know they’ve earlier than they remedy them.
Concerning the U-2 neighborhood in private life, it’s nice. You’ve gotten this community of buddies that you just’re going to have for the remainder of your life, it’s simply really superb.
What number of U-2 pilots are there at present flying the jet, and are new pilots being educated, if that’s the case, what number of?
Worldwide there are roughly 80 pilots, and we at present have one going by way of coaching.
Concerning the seventieth Anniversary of the U-2: 70 years is a really very long time for an plane to remain related. Why do you suppose the U-2 continues to be flying at the moment.
Merely, as a result of it’s adaptable. The U-2 shouldn’t be the identical plane that’s been flying for 70 years. Those that we’re flying proper now have been constructed within the 80’s, 90’s. Nonetheless no younger pups, however we’re not flying 70 yr outdated airplanes. The U-2 itself, could be very modular, which permits it to take all kinds of various instruments and sensors and put them to good use, and we’ve been ready to take action in a reasonably fast vogue. That’s one motive combatant commanders have a tendency to like us.
Thanks for that. Oshkosh is simply twenty miles from the place you grew up, you’re a native right here. What it’s prefer to convey the U-2 to a present just like the EAA AirVenture, the place the group contains everybody from children to veterans to aviation historians. What does that imply to return right here?
It was simply so cool. I imply, AirVenture is simply the Mecca to pilots. Due to this fact, to have the ability to fly not only a army airplane, however one of the distinctive army airplanes on the market, to my hometown, it’s fulfilled a bucket record merchandise. A real dream I’ve had since childhood.
Did you come to the AirVenture while you have been a child?
I positive did. I already had a love of flying, however this place made it flourish. That is simply one of many coolest experiences that you may’t simply describe to anyone who’s by no means been right here. Due to this fact, to be right here on this vogue, I simply can’t put it into phrases. I used to be really awestruck. The butterflies I used to be feeling on descent and as I noticed the airport from about 20 miles out, it simply grew to become actual.
Did you ever beforehand land an plane at Oshkosh?
No, I didn’t, this was my first touchdown right here. It was good that when flying in a U-2 you type of get precedence therapy upon touchdown. The controllers cleared the best way barely, and have been holding down arrivals in Fond du Lac, so sure, I used to be a bit spoiled arriving.
What affect did your hometown or upbringing in Wisconsin have in your resolution to hitch the Air Drive and intention for one thing just like the U-2?
I might say the hometown’s huge contribution to that might be its location with regard to Oshkosh, the truth that I used to be in a position to come up right here, not simply at AirVenture, however even, in the course of the center of the winter and go to the museum and see a extremely nice museum, it actually helped stoke that fireside burning inside me. So far as becoming a member of the Air Drive, that was very a lot associated to a number of the thrilling alternatives that the Air Drive offers, and having complete help from my household.
What did your loved ones suppose and the way did they react, while you landed at AirVenture 2025?
After I landed, it was tremendous cool. Everybody was telling me how superb it was. There have been hugs, it was really, an superior expertise. However that was my prolonged household. My daughters have been leaping up and down and simply squealing. It was completely off the charts.
Thanks very a lot for sharing these household experiences. Let’s now shift focus to operation of the U-2. A lot has been stated about how tough the U-2 is to land. How a lot of that status is fantasy versus actuality?
It’s actual, that being stated, it nonetheless is an airplane. An airplane that could be very unforgiving in case you are off your airspeed, otherwise you get lazy, as it’s going to chew you, regardless of how a lot expertise you have got within the jet. That’s not to say it’s unattainable as there’s been a greater than 1100 individuals who’ve been in a position to do it, however sure, you undoubtedly can by no means get complacent. You should be totally dedicated to flying the jet.
The U-2 has outlasted generations of replacements. What does it nonetheless do higher than the trendy alternate options, like satellites or drones?
I might hark again to the modular facet. Clearly, there’s some physics related to the altitudes that we fly that give it distinctive benefits to sure, indicators and wavelengths. As well as, having the pilot on board means it may be very versatile. Finally, I might say the primary motive it’s been in a position to preserve flying this time is as a result of it’s had the devoted skilled pilots and all of the help networks, whether or not it’s the engineers, maintainers, the management which have been in a position to craft it in the direction of completely different rising mission units, in order that it hasn’t simply fallen into one function.
Are you able to speak briefly in regards to the U-2’s integration with different platforms?
We’ve got a weapons faculty that began about 5 years in the past. Thus, we’ve been in a position to have a cadre of weapons officers and so they’ve taken our integration to a complete new stage, which is strictly what you anticipate your “patch wearers”, (USAF Weapons College graduates), to do.
Okay, final query to shut it out. What’s one factor you suppose the general public ought to completely perceive in regards to the U-2?
I might say that it doesn’t matter what occurs to the U-2, the spirit of what made the U-2 so nice will proceed to reside on. The spirit of innovation, the spirit of dedication. None of these issues will ever go away. It’s really the individuals that can allow any of the devices, equipment, what have you ever. They are going to allow these issues to finally succeed, in no matter mission they’re given.
Interview with Lt. Colonel Jon “Huggy” Huggins.
Lt. Col. Jon “Huggy” Huggins is an Teacher Pilot with the ninth Reconnaissance Wing, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, at Beale Air Drive Base, California.
TheAviationist: Huggy, are you able to please present us your background, the place you grew up, the place you went to high school, and profession path to the U-2.
I grew up in Houston. I truly moved round fairly a bit everywhere in the US, however I used to be by no means concerned in aviation, aside from the truth that I grew up within the house program, lived in the identical neighborhood as a lot of the early Apollo astronauts, went to College of Texas ROTC. After I graduated, I used to be commissioned as a Lieutenant and went to pilot coaching in Del Rio, Texas, at Laughlin Air Drive Base. At Laughlin, they chose me to stay round as a primary project teacher pilot for the T-38. I stayed there flying the T-38. My aim on the time was to go fly fighters, however once I got here up for project, they have been eliminating fighter pilots, they didn’t want fighter pilots. Solely the highest guys within the squadron have been getting fighters, and I used to be undoubtedly not my squadron commander’s favourite officer, to say the least, so I noticed the writing on the wall. Nonetheless, a good friend of mine, a T-37 teacher, stated I ought to come fly the U-2, as he had simply interviewed for that function as nicely. I stated to him, what they are saying at the moment when individuals speak in regards to the U-2, “they nonetheless fly that plane”, and this was 1988.
Anyhow, I regarded into this system and thought it sounds actually distinctive. I used to be nonetheless a Lieutenant, barely had the hours. I wanted 900 hours, so, once I hit my 900 hours, I dropped off my software, went out to Beale AFB, and had the interview. The timing for me was excellent, as they wanted to fill the coaching slots, thus I used to be employed. Shortly after my U-2 coaching I used to be despatched to the U-2 base in Alconbury, England. I used to be in Alconbury for 3 and a half years. Once more, good timing for me, as I used to be in a position to go over to the desert. I flew the U-2 on the opening day of Desert Storm.
Are you able to present plane flown and complete hours?
Positive, The T-38, additionally, one yr within the MC-12 and the U-2, each R and S fashions. Whole hours are roughly 6900. Roughly, 4150 hours within the T-38, 2700 hours within the U-2. Some 978 sorties within the U-2. I’m hoping to hit 1000, earlier than the jet is retired.
What’s your present standing with the U-2 Program at Beale AFB?
I retired from the Air Drive in 2014. In 2020, the squadron got here up with an concept, they needed to convey again some skilled pilots to be civilian GS 13 civil servant pilots. I used to be the primary of the small group of us that got here again to do this, and I’ve been doing that for 5 years. I additionally obtained requalified within the T-38, so I’m again as an teacher in each plane, once more. There are 4 civilian pilots within the squadron, the remaining being USAF pilots
What are essentially the most bodily or mentally demanding elements of flying the U-2?
Bodily, it’s robust, its lengthy length flying in a really, very small, single pilot cockpit, sporting a strain swimsuit. Think about, placing your self in scuba gear and sitting in a closet. You both prefer it and take care of it otherwise you don’t.
So how do you put together for such circumstances?
You simply do it and get used to it. I can’t actually consider a approach that I ready aside from getting the usual good sleep. In fact, you’re not going to be consuming correct meals for the higher a part of half a day. Due to this fact, you have to do all of the issues related to consuming nicely. On the preliminary interview, I knew what I used to be entering into, and I assumed, this shall be form of enjoyable. you both prefer it otherwise you don’t.
What’s the longest mission you’ve ever flown within the U-2 and longest fight mission?
12.1 hours, In 2014, I ferried a jet from England, again to Northern California. The longest fight sortie was 11.2 hours; it was the opening day of the second Gulf Battle.
Have been there any missions that you’ve flown, that have been significantly, tense or memorable, particularly in contested airspace?
Sure. Opening day of Desert Storm one. I used to be flying an H digicam (movie based mostly excessive decision optical camara), flying up alongside the Iraqi border. I used to be truly flying the final U-2 ever constructed, 80-1099, and I obtained lit up by an Iraqi missile web site. I by no means noticed the missile, most likely by no means launched, however I obtained some indication. That was form of cool, form of, annoying.
I’ve had a number of cases with the plane that obtained my consideration. The plane could be very tough. Turbulence over Korea, it’s very unhealthy. I’ve had the autopilot kick off at evening with no horizon, and the plane began to roll over with excessive turbulence in Korea. So, sure, I’ve had my share of occasions. Nonetheless, with the U-2 a lot of the issues you can see occur beneath 10 toes. It’s the issues taking place on the runway, the airplane getting sideways on the runway, heading for the filth. I’ve had just a few shut calls there.
Let’s speak a bit in regards to the T-38 as a companion coach for the U-2.
It’s an excellent companion coach for what we use it for. It was arduous for me to adapt from the T-38 to the U-2, as they fly very in a different way, nonetheless, now that we’ve got the T-38 as a companion coach, it helps tremendously. We’re not flying the T-38 to get the monkey expertise of flying. We’re doing it to maintain our head within the recreation. It requires a reasonably quick cross-check, just like the U-2. Flying the T-38 trains you to suppose the best way you have to when flying the U-2. Once more, it’s a nice companion coach, in my private opinion.
We’ve got the seventieth Anniversary of the U-2’s first flight in August. What does that imply to you personally?
Nicely, from the army facet, it exhibits me that they have been actually forward of their time on the plane. It’s a 70 yr outdated design and it’s nonetheless doing issues that nothing else actually does. Kelly and his crew have been actually far forward. We’re all very pleased with the work that we do on the market. I don’t fly operational missions anymore. I don’t go abroad. I simply keep dwelling and train the brand new pilots. Nonetheless, I’m very pleased with sending them out and doing the missions that they do. The airplane is extraordinarily related. It does improbable work. Not the identical form of work it did 50, 60 years in the past, nevertheless it retains up with the occasions.
How has the U2’s mission and its relevance advanced from the Chilly Battle, to at the moment’s setting of close to peer competitors?
On a simplistic stage, consider it like your outdated pickup truck, sure, there’s a number of new stuff on the market, however you possibly can throw something in your pickup truck. You create one thing in a laboratory, otherwise you’re a contract firm, we are able to plug into the U-2. We will check it, we are able to energy it with the generator that we’ve got on board, and we are able to have it out on the entrance traces doing the mission instantly. So, we’ve got stayed related with all the brand new expertise. Folks say, “That’s a 40 yr outdated jet you have got on the market, how can it nonetheless be related?” Nicely, as a result of it’s not the airframe, that’s the F-150 truck I’ve obtained that’s 40 years outdated. The stuff on the within is the most recent, the perfect, the best sensors.
Lastly, how did flying the U-2 change you as an individual or a pacesetter?
Nice query, let me sort out this in a roundabout approach. I’ve obtained roughly 120 plane in my log, that I’ve flown. Civilian plane, just a few army plane, and I at all times get requested by individuals, what’s your favourite plane?
While you actually suppose it by way of, and it sounds cliche, however I might say the U-2 is my favourite plane, and right here’s why. I do love flying the plane, nonetheless, getting concerned on this program as a 26 yr outdated, model new captain, has fully modified my life. I get to work with the perfect individuals. I get to work with the pilots of my squadron, it has taken me to some actually cool locations on the planet. The actual fact I’m sitting right here speaking to you, it has really opened up so many alternatives. The A-37 I flew final yr at Oshkosh, I used to be ready to do this as a result of I met the proprietor 12 years in the past, doing a U-2 presentation. Thus, it has opened so many doorways, to satisfy the nicest individuals in the entire world, and the older I get I notice it’s in regards to the individuals. So, a really cliched reply, nevertheless it has genuinely opened many, many doorways, it has modified my life.
Acknowledgements
The writer needs to thank the next for his or her help: Dick Knapinski, Director of Communications EAA, Drew Stephani, Communications Specialist EAA, TSgt Samuel Burns, ninth RW Public Affairs, Beale AFB, CA, Lt. Colonel GOGO, Inspector Common, U-2 Pilot, ninth RW, 99th RS, Beale AFB, CA. Lt. Colonel Jon “Huggy” Huggins, Teacher Pilot, ninth RW, 1st RS, Beale AFB, CA.
