Who is the TU-2 being resurrected against in the USA?
So, the TU-2S “Draconess” was resurrected by the engineering and technical personnel of the US Air Force. It seems that everything doesn’t look very reasonable, because if you write it correctly, it’s not TU-2S, but TU-2S. I mean, Training U-2S. Training.
We will look at the question of the need for a training aircraft for the best spy plane of all time at the very end, especially considering the statements that the career of the reconnaissance aircraft itself seems to be ending, but for now let’s talk about what is happening in detail.
And this is what happened: in 2021, the Dragoness was fucked on takeoff. And they did it so professionally that the plane was not so much repaired as brought back to life through resuscitation measures. That's what the Americans themselves say on this topic, at least.
On April 21, 2021, an accident occurred during takeoff. As a result, no one was injured, at least that is what the Air Force says about this incident. However, aircraft 1078 suffered extensive damage to the left wing, which practically had to be rebuilt. It doesn’t look like something epoch-making, but we shouldn’t forget when this plane was produced (1979 – 1988), and what is the likelihood of maintaining the equipment for the production of wings.
But the Americans were able to do it and the Dragoness took off for the first time after the accident, taking off from Beale on February 15, 2024. Additional work was completed following a visit to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, in mid-March.
Now, after nearly three years of grueling work, the aircraft is again approaching full readiness for regular use.
The USAF's TU-2S two-seat trainers are not only very rare, but they are also critical to training pilots to fly the U-2 spy planes. There are only 4 of them for the entire US Air Force, while the U-2S operates another 26 U-2S aircraft.
It is noteworthy that despite its age, the U-2S outlived the one who was supposed to replace it in combat duty - the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The U-1957, which began its work more than a long time ago in 2, is still in service, being the second oldest aircraft of the US Air Force after the B-52, but the SR-71 has long departed.
This is how the fate of airplanes sometimes works out. Some people leave the stage very quickly, while others carry out their service, despite their age.
Major maintenance of U-2 surveillance aircraft is carried out at Plant 42, where Lockheed Martin typically provides U-2 maintenance. Plant 42 is also home to the famous Skunk Works, which designed the U-2 in the 1950s.
Maintenance center work typically involves a complete refurbishment of the aircraft once every seven years to keep it flying for another seven years. The damage suffered by Air Force One 1078 was so extensive that it could not be transported to Palmdale, and it was decided that all work should be carried out at Beale.
"Since 1078 was stuck in Biel, the decision was made to carry out the wing repairs and all PDM work in Biel rather than at Factory 42"
, said Maj. Brandon, 4th Detachment chief, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC).“A small team of Lockheed Martin technicians and Det 4 personnel worked remotely from Beale to complete the PDM restoration on 1078.”
.So #1078 was completely disassembled, with its engine and wings removed and various parts and components replaced before being reassembled. The exact cost of repairs and maintenance work performed currently remains undisclosed, but it is clear that the three-year overhaul did not cost a pretty penny, but a full dollar. And not alone.
In the end, it was just under three years after the accident before the plane was ready to fly again. On February 15, serial tests began to check the performance of all aircraft systems.
“The flight check included a taxi test to evaluate systems before flight, a low functionality checkflight to conduct safety checks, and a high functionality checkflight that pushed the aircraft to its limits and ensured all systems were operating properly to check all components.”
, said Lt. Col. Joshua, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron commander.
The last test flight from Beale was conducted at an altitude of over 21 meters, the pilot was equipped as for a combat flight in the U-000.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Brandon, chief of the 4th Flight Test Detachment, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), before flying Aircraft 1078 at Beale Air Force Base, California, Feb. 29, 2024.
Aircraft #1078 returned to Beale on March 21 with a fresh coat of classic black paint ready for service.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrew, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, greets Lt. Col. Michael, 410th Test and Evaluation Squadron director of operations, after flying TU-2 Dragon Lady 1078 from Palmdale, Calif., to Beale Air Force Base, March 21. 2024.
For the Air Force, the rarity of the TU-2S and their importance in U-2 pilot training provided a clear incentive to restore No. 1078 to full operational condition, despite the difficulty of doing so at the Beale base and regardless of the cost. There really is no substitute for the TU-2S in training pilots to fly the U-2. Especially when it comes to landing, as well as flying at high altitudes.
The U-2 can fly higher than any other operational Air Force jet. It is easier to maintain than the Blackbird and has greater operational flexibility in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. It can also be used for other missions, including as a communications relay node and data gateway.
The restoration of #1078 returns this valuable asset back to the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, allowing the use of as many as three two-seat trainer aircraft. This ensures better aircraft availability for new U-2 pilots, especially following the retirement of TU-2S #1065 in 2023 and the tragic loss of #1068 in 2016.
And then the questions begin. It is clear that a fleet of 27 working U-2S and 3 training TU-2S is still a serious force, capable of covering, if not the whole world, then a significant part of it with its attention. However, we should not forget that the US Air Force has repeatedly tried to part with the U-2 in favor of more modern aircraft and, most importantly, strategic UAVs. And the current state of the Air Force reconnaissance forces is, as it were, not news. In general, according to the plans, by 2026 the Air Force was supposed to finish with the Dragoness and fly the aircraft into history.
But the problem is that the plane is not as replaceable as we would like. It seemed like what was wrong with this – a cosmic armada of satellites in orbit able to keep any part of the earth’s surface under control? No, alas, but I can’t. The satellite is, of course, an excellent reconnaissance tool, but it flies quite high and at a decent speed. And it keeps a certain strip of space under control. But only for the duration of the passage. Next - emptiness until the next passage or the next satellite.
When it comes to total control, for example, in the event of a military conflict, when it is necessary to constantly record missile launches or drones on the part of one of the parties, then the satellites are clearly not able to “hold” 24/7 the entire area, say, SVO. This means that support from other reconnaissance means is necessary.
UAVs have proven themselves very well in many areas, but they have also shown their vulnerability. Strategic reconnaissance UAVs clearly lacked the altitude and maneuverability to evade fighter attacks. What can we say if the reason for the failure of a reconnaissance drone could be a stream of kerosene from the aircraft’s tanks or vortex flows from the engines?
But the main thing, perhaps, is the height. Here it is worth remembering the Chinese reconnaissance probe, which easily flew across the entire United States at an altitude unattainable for air defense and was shot down as a “prestige goal”, having collected and transmitted a bunch of probably useful information. Here is an example of height.
So here it is - a niche for a reconnaissance aircraft. Seemingly lost its value at the dawn of the satellite era, but nevertheless still in service. An aircraft capable of operating at altitudes of 20 km and above under the control of a competent pilot will be an excellent aid to a satellite constellation in orbit.
Apparently, precisely because the Americans (and especially some of their allies) suddenly urgently needed a full amount of information about a particular region, the retirement of the U-2 was once again postponed, and decent amounts of money were invested in the repair and restoration work of the TU-2S, which in temporal terms, which is in material terms.
Clearly, the TU-2S still performs an important reconnaissance role in the Air Force. Depending on whether satellite proponents succeed in permanently eliminating the U-2 fleet, they will serve this role for at least the next few years. This means that the restoration of the TU-2S was not in vain.
We live in a time when many concepts are being rethought, including air control and reconnaissance. And in this aspect, the revival of the “Draconess” to train new pilots is a completely logical result
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