U.S. Air Force Sets New Flight Record for U-2

Aircraft soared across all 48 contiguous states in late July.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Cory 'ULTRALORD' Bartholomew and 'Lt. Col. JETHRO' of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron celebrate after landing a 9th Reconnaissance Wing TU-2S Dragon Lady at Beale Air Force Base, California. [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Frederick A. Brown]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force successfully completed a record-breaking 14-hour flight across the 48 contiguous U.S. states with a U-2 spy plane (TU-2S variant) in July.
Covering over 6,000 nautical miles, this was the longest single U-2 flight since its maiden flight in 1955, pushing both the aircraft's operational range and the pilots' physiological limits.
The historic flight, planned for over a decade, demonstrated the U-2's enduring capabilities and its role in "power projection," even as the Air Force plans to retire the aircraft in 2026.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The U.S. Air Force pushed the limits of its storied U-2 spy airplane and the aircraft’s crew in July with a record-breaking 14-hour flight across the U.S.

According to officials at Beale Air Force Base in California, a two-seat U-2 variant known as the TU-2S from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing flew across all 48 contiguous U.S. states on July 31, covering over 6,000 nm. It was the longest single flight flown by a U-2 since its maiden flight in 1955.