U2 Operates from an Aircraft Carrier?

Why yes it did. After I posted about the C-130 taking off and landing on the USS Forrestal, XBradTC, left me a comment about the U2 also operating from a Carrier. So with a little bit of searching I have found a few things.



"The idea started in the late 1950s when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was looking for a way to overcome the range limitations of the U-2. Possessing a useful range of about 3,000 miles (4,800 km), the U-2 simply could not reach every location of interest to the CIA given the locations of U-2 bases. As a result, the CIA began a cooperative effort with the US Navy known as Project Whale Tale. The purpose of this project was to adapt the U-2 for use aboard aircraft carriers. Testing commenced in August of 1963 when, in the dark of night, a crane lifted a U-2C onto the deck of the USS Kitty Hawk at San Diego, California. The vessel streamed off the coast on the morning of 5 August where Lockheed test pilot Bob Schumacher began flight test operations."

The U2's were modified with stronger landing gear and spoilers to over come the U2's tendency to glide, and a tail hook. Some later, larger U2R's were even modified with folding wings. (Link)

The first and possibly only operational mission of the U2 was a mission of a U2G model in 1964. With the U2 operating from the deck of the USS Ranger, to monitor French Nuclear tests at the Mururoa Atoll

The last tests of operating the U2 from a carrier were in 1969, several Lockheed and CIA pilots were involved with the tests, however no other known missions were known to down after those tests.

The possibility of using the U2 as regular US Navy aircraft though, was revisited in 1973 and 1974. Modifying 2 U2R airframes with forward looking radar and infrared detection system to be used for ocean surveillance. These aircraft, U2EPX, were determined to be too expensive, withe the introduction of satellite systems capable of perfoming the same functions.

There was a further modification suggested of a 2 seat U2, armed with the Condor anti-ship missile. the idea was quickly squashed with the demise of the Condor.

The Central Intelligence Agency has a PDF you can either view or save, of their U2 program. (Link)






The U2 fleet has been planned to be retired since 2007, however they are still in frontline use by the Airforce for tactical and strategic reconnaissance and a NASA variant ER-2 is used for high altitude studies. Current projections are to retire the U2 fleet in 2015, as the RQ-4 Global Hawk would take over it's roll. However the cancellation of the Block 30 Rq-4 means that the U2's use may be extended.