U.S. military again postponed retire U-2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft time (Figure)
Date:2011-12-26
U.S. Air Force once again delayed the retirement of U-2 spy time. U-2 may be 2016 or even later will be retired. The reason is
Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is still unable to prove that they can replace manned U-2. 56 years ago, the U.S. Congress want the U-2 entered service before retiring, Global Hawk pass the test to prove that U-2 can do all it can do.
the past five years, the U.S. Air Force has been trying to use the RQ-4 Global Hawk to replace manned U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. However, the results are not so successful. Addition to the Global Hawk reliability issues,
another problem is that U-2 is equipped with sensors superiority. Why not the U-2 sensor installed in the Global Hawk on? The problem is weight and space. U-2 of the body larger, heavier, even if the pilots, the load is greater. Air Force has committed to suppliers, they have people to solve this problem, but the Global Hawk in the sensor after several generations of re-design and improvement, the Global Hawk still take several years to compete with the U-2 .
there is still a problem can not be compared with the ability of the UAV pilot software system. Mankind is still an advantage over robotic systems, especially in relation to emergency situations. However, U-2 has been available for half a century. Its weird and weaknesses are well known.
Global Hawk was proceeding across the Pacific from North America arrived in Australia, with the machines computer management on all matters. Although this move is impressive, but the Global Hawk sometimes unexpected trouble, but I do not know how to fix. On the software side there is more work to do, Global Hawk used by the hardware also needs to improve, though some not so deep. Since no one can guarantee Global Hawk reliability when to meet acceptable standards, so people are planning to extend the U-2′s a little service time just in case.
so popular that U-2 is also exhausted. Two years ago, for example, two machines up to 41 years old U-2 took off time to reach a record 25,000 hours. One to three times a belly landing, after all every need of major repairs.
range of more than 11,000 kilometers, weight 18 tons of U-2 mission is generally the time each time for 12 hours. U-2 have all been upgraded to Blo ck 2 0 standard, so they can before the end of this decade or at least 13 tons of weight, Global Hawk completely rule out the failure, in quantities sufficient to replace them continue until in service. U-2 entered service in 1955, built only 86 of which 26 are still in service. Fewer than 900 pilots have made driving U-2 qualifications.
make extensive use of U-2 pilots are struggling. Each mission may take up to 12 hours pilot in the cockpit of an airplane pressurized. This allows the pilots body to withstand greater pressure. This, along with their breathing pure oxygen in the air, means that the task of performing the long return, they are often exhausted. U-2 every day in the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Korean peninsula over the mission.
was not supposed to like this. Five years ago, retired Air Force U-2 want and use the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles, etc. instead. But Congress refused to ratify the one hand, for political reasons (will reduce jobs, which is always a hot political topic), on the one hand but also because the Congress (and the Air Force) in some people think that Global Hawk do not completely replace U-2 preparation. The results prove that they are right. The new Global Hawk emerging, but these two aircraft reconnaissance work done by the great demand, so that pilots and robots will coexist for some time. However, a reliable old U-2 will eventually be retired.
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