The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady," took to the skies in 1955 and continues to fly today thanks to extensive modifications.
The USAF indicated that the U-2 was scheduled for retirement sometime after 2015, with many of its functions being replaced by high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles but it continues to operate.
This mysterious plane was one of the most important reconnaissance assets of the United States during the Cold War.
The U-2 is a single-engine, single-seat, high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft providing signals, imagery, and MASINT (measurements and signatures intelligence) to the U.S. military.