I don't see any discussion of this important topic on here, so here's a link to my latest post on the subject. From there, you can also read my earlier posts explaining (and bemoaning) the decision:

https://dragonladytoday.com/2024/01/07/ ... e-retired/

The CAA consultation on UAV ops from Fairford referenced above is old now. They're on Step 3a currently, with some steps still to come. The decision is due on 16Feb24, with the "Target AIRAC" (whatever that is) in June 2024.

Folks, I have been regularly posting updates to my book DRAGON LADY TODAY on my website https://dragonladytoday.com/ I have now consolidated these and added more new information into a new final chapter in the book. All new purchases of the book from Amazon will include the new chapter. If you previ...

Folks, I have added a new chapter to DRAGON LADY TODAY. It is included in all new copies purchased from Amazon. If you previously bought the book, then email me (UKdragon@aol.com) with the answer to the question below, and I will send you a .pdf of the new chapter. "What is the three-digit serial nu...

The 9th Wing do have a pilot who is approved for flying demonstrations. They do a few of these in the US each year. If they ever did one at RIAT, it would have to be with the 'slick' jet, which could not therefore appear in static.

The Indian press release mistook "RSAF" for Singapore. Coincidentlly, I was still in Singapore when that release was issued, to the puzzlement of the local enthusiasts!

I will be giving a talk about the history of the Dragon Lady on Wednesday 21st September at 1830 in Spikes Diner at Fairford Town Football Club in Cinder Lane. Full details here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid021SZqudHiDPoNmRCTxYo5ixF4bHknM9KDPj5NdzxzR1gCjp5CxFMB53jhZB6eSRkl&id=10...

My memory may be c - - p, but wasn't a white 2-seater brought in by lorry/train/air (delete as appropriate) and converted to a single seater for display at the Duxford museum? The U-2 that I am (sort of) remembering was U-2CT %6-6692 - the white two-seater that was converted to single-seat configur...

Forgot to mention.
I described this story in a post on my website here:
https://dragonladytoday.com/2017/07/16/the-u-2-at-riat/

During a visit to Beale in March 2017, I enquired about when the next Busy Relay would be. The answer was in early July - a week before RIAT. I suggested that they postpone it for one week, in order to participate at the show. That happened. They swopped the jets before and after the show, and put o...

As you know, 68-10329 is currently resident at Fairford. I just posted an article on my website about this veteran jet: https://dragonladytoday.com/2022/05/14/ ... urite-u-2/

see my website post:

https://dragonladytoday.com/2019/12/23/ ... sr-rq-180/

breathtaking! I wish I could stop the action like that...

Looks like they may route directly overhead Fairford enroute to displays over Portsmouth and Bournemouth:

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/new ... ber-20-21/

yes, the media day is this afternoon. looks like 103 will be the jet on display

I don't disagree with your fundamental point: the U-2 cannot safely operate in contested airspace. But the U-2 is superior to the Global Hawk in many ways, including survivability. See this post on my website: https://dragonladytoday.com/2019/07/16/global-hawk-shootdown-u-2-defensive-systems/ I can ...

Hmm. My point is, those platforms are exotic and very expensive. There must surely be a place for a 'workhorse' capability that is still good for 90% of missions. Which is what will happen with the USAF's planned B-21 + B-52 bomber fleet.

Apologies. I forgot to post on this forum earlier:

https://dragonladytoday.com/2021/07/11/ ... -go-again/

CP

Yes. The US made that mistake once before...MayDay 1960
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident

Yes indeed. I wrote a commentary on the so-called RQ-180 18 months ago, here:
https://dragonladytoday.com/2019/12/23/ ... sr-rq-180/