defense news," an explosive interview with a welcome to a very special edition of this week in defense news. i'm vago muradian. on the eve of the 52nd anniversary of one of the cold wars most iconic moment, when the u-2 aircraft piloted by francis gary powers was shot down over the soviet union, we bring you an upclose look at this legendary plane, its mission, and the airmen who fly and maintain it. we recently visited the air force base in northern california, home of the u-2 where i had the rare opportunity to fly on board the [ sirens ] let's face it.

the threat of hydrobomb warfare is the greatest danger our air force has ever known. >> it's been called among the most important military aircraft of all time. developed by lockheed martin in just agent months raches -- eight months temperatures rushed into -- it was rushed into service to determine the true capabilityings. it first flew in 1955 and was expected to be replaced in five years out of concerns other rapidly improving soviet air defenses. indeed in may 1960 that they shot down u2 pilot frank powers during an overflight. >> on display in moscow the wreckage of powers' reconnaissance plane. for you to see. >> the u2 was steadily improved and larger all new jets built in the 19 80s remaining so capable that they scrapped plans to replace it with an unmanned aircraft in year. the single seat plane can carry 5,000 pounds of cameras, imaging radars and signals intelligence gear more than 13 miles high.

from that altitude you can see more than 400 miles in all directions. pilots fly top secret missions up to 14 hours long alone and often over hostile territory wearing the same suits astronauts wear into space. the air force has 33 single seat operational u2s and five two seat trainers. i've long been fascinated by the u2 and strategic reconnaissance the ability to gather intelligence, a core mission the air force executed worldwide with awe-inspiring precision. when i was invited to fly aboard the most legendary and difficult to fly aircraft we traveled to beale air force but before we could -- base but before we could get into the air i had to get a checkup and then underwent hours of training on how to handle emergencies whether on the ground or at 70,000 feet. >> all right, let's say chi-chi

says bailout, bailout. bailout. yep. >> parachute training id colluded instruction on -- included instruction on fixing your only suit and surviving on the ground until rescued. later i headed to the support squadron for more training on the u2 flight suit. nearly identical to those worn by astronauts but colored gold instead of orange to avoid confusion. >> the primary purpose of this suit is to prevent hypoxia. so if anything happens, you're at altitude, you lose cabin pressure, the suit will keep you at 35,000 feet. >> the higher you go, the less oxygen in the air. without supplied oxygen you have trouble breathing at 15,000 feet. at 30,000 feet you black out and lose control of the airplane. the u2 cockpit is pressurized to 30,000 feet. so the suit is vital because you never know when something might go wrong. an hour before putting on the suit, you breathe pure oxygen and spend ten minutes on an elliptical machine to purge nitrogen from the body. it can expand during pressure changes causing the bends just

as it does for deep sea divers. airmen help you into the suit which is individually adjusted. >> it's -- it's amazing, the suit itself is very, very confident -- comfortable. there you sound a little bit like darth vader which is the regulator controlling the oxygen supply. >> in an emergency the suit inflates making it difficult to move but protecting you from hypoxia the condition that sets in when you're deprived of oxygen causing confusion, loss of consciousness and eventually death. we headed to the pressure chamber which helps pilots get that are with the suit and ow -- familiar with the suit and how to operate it in an emergency. with the chamber pressurized. the cockpit altitude, now feet, i hoped -- 30,000 feet. i opened my face mask as instructed so they can tell how long it would take me to suffer hypoxia and what symptoms i would experience. >> with hypoxia, generally everybody's symptom will be kind of a little different.

so you -- the first few times you're just kind of feeling for something different. >> i lasted about five minutes. >> feels like it's a little bit labored. >> a little bit labored breathing? >> going blue as well. >> great. >> let's go for the green. let's go for the green magic apple. >> okay. go ahead and close that. >> oh, yeah. lo up

we met the people who fly and support the dragon lady deploring over extended periods to bases in southwest asia, south korea, and elsewhere. we started with the sergeant masters, brian. when i first got to the aircraft i did call it the lego airplane because there are so

many different configurations you can put the airplane in. things go on the top, things go on the side. >> the plane is tailor today each mission with optical, digital and radar images systems and defensive systems and gear today record radar -- geared to record radar and radio signals, but maintaining the unique aircraft -- >> it's actually pretty difficult. it comes apart pretty extensively. the motor comes out anytime there's any major maintenance we have to put it on cart. unlike other aircraft i worked on it does a bit of a maintenance crew to do that. >> operational tempo is higher than ever and support personnel deploy as much as pilots do. >> we deploy quite a bit and we have to support those. the humanitarian relief missions we've been accomplishing in the past few years so yes, they do take pride in their plane. and i believe they take pride in the mission. >> airmen of the 9th squadron are also critical to pilots'

safety. >> our motto is between life and death. and everyone of our technicians takes that very seriously whether it's an altitude chamber flight or an actual mission. >> for a typical daily mission the crew that's going to dress i tomorrow for instance will have spent about two hours preparing the equipment that's going to into into flight. that's the parachutes and suits. every time a pilot flies in the u2 our technicians at the 9th support squadron have done five inspections if you will of that pressure suit. just to make sure that all systems are go. >> the pilots who fly the u2 come from across the u.s. military and are specially screened. >> it takes a special kinds of individual to actually sign up for something like that. we have a competitive process for selection of our pilots and that's part of it is to ensure they know what they're getting themselves into by coming into the program in terms of being in that environment all by yourself. at high altitude. in a pressure suit that they're

not used to wearing in a normal aircraft. it is something to get used to. it does take some time to get used to operating lick that. >> just flying the plane is a unique challenge says shane. >> it was meant to fly high. that's the regime it really operates best in. however when it gets lower it presents some challenges for pilot. >> presents a real dragon. >> you really fight it down low. there can be some times when it takes all your strength and concentration to be able to bring the airplane down. you have to fully stall it in order to get it do land. that air flow is generating so much lift that you have to -- we have to stall it and of course you don't want to do that too high. off the ground which is again why we have another pilot behind us to help us down. >> pilots are also gathering intelligence. >> and we're doing an array of

things as you mentioned. anywhere from combined with that -- >> that's signals intelligence -- >> images intelligence and also treaty verification. and humanitarian relief. we do -- treaty verification almost on a daily basis as well and it's really keeps us on our toes to make sure that each pilot is an expert in a vast array of mission settings. >> one of the cameras the u2 carries still uses film that must be developed after the aircraft lands. >> the imagery itself coming off the camera has a great resolution on it. and as such it is very useful for a variety of different mission sets. plus it's -- a nonmanipulable which means you can give it to another country and they know that's no kidding and hasn't been touched coming up, my exclusive interview with the u-2 pilot while

with good time 1200, we're flying duration 2.5. >> after training interviewing and waiting we were ready to fly with lieutenant colonel steve the commander of the first reconnaissance squadron the oldest military unit founded in march 1913 to scout for pancho villa's guy rim las in texas. we suited up. then headed out to the jet. once we were strapped in we taxied out. armed the ejection seat. >> clear for takeoff. a thumbs up. you ready for this? >> i'm ready. >> it feels good.

check good. we're going. >> climbing so steeply we cleared 10,000 feet of altitude by the end of the runway. >> whoa! >> and maintain verifiable 600, good. >> okay. good. we're going to climb up to 600. quick going. >> the takeoff was breathtaking. colonel steve flew air force tankers and the challenge of flying an aircraft that demands old-fashioned stick and rudder skills. how challenging? the maximum speed will tear off the wings from the stall speed at which it falls from the sky a narrow gap known as the coffin corner. >> what's it like flying the

world's highest flying coolest airplane? >> well -- hard to describe it. i mean -- here we are. it's good to be in the space. you fly missions that you're the only one in charge miles and miles from -- and hours from any friendly help. so you have to be self-reliant. and it's just magical going this high. i mean, you know down low, you know we talk about the dragon lady you know. she's a dragon handle in the landing phase and the lady at altitude. but you know she'll turn around and bite you at a moment's notice -- without moment's notice. >> what's it like to be alone out here for hours at a time sometimes watching folks that may not want to be watched? >> well -- [ laughter ] i just fly the -- [ indiscernible ] for the way it kicked off.

and you know, you're -- you're on edge. you are watching and you're making sure that no one does anything against the rules and procedures if we're engaged in tack tics but you know there's always the threat of your mind. you're keenly aware of what's going on around you. and then you know, as for the sortie, i mean sometimes you compete. and pulling back and landing the airplane is the most challenging part of the mission. but you know we have mitigation factors and days and everything else. you know and make sure we take off, the demanding machine is ready to go for the mission. i think we do a very good job at that. but yeah, it can get fatiguing and just do the best -- sometimes i just don't want to sit still that long but you know i'm there for another five hours or so. >> have you been in any

situations in your operational career where you thought okay, this is dicey. we flew one -- >> mission that i overflew. that just before we kicked off the mission to overfly to look at you know, to collect information for evidence of what we were looking for at the time. and we went out there alone on our freight over iraq. back and forth across the country. not the same u2 that -- let's put it that way. and extremely capable of flying well above most threats. and -- we have -- we have invested in the airplane to make it very survivable. and we redeploy it too as like any other platform in the air

force. we employ it to address those vulnerabilities is key and we do all these things i take it's an extremely capable platform. >> aren't we in the golden age of autonomous? >> yes, i would say we are. we have more seriously invested in that than i think we have before i think. you nonuple rice predcaps, the leaper system, the global hawk, you know, the fact that u2 is still around absolutely. we're in the golden age of isr. it's very important it gives us the eyes to look over the next ridge line. it gives us that you know, that -- the pulling with the great general because he could figure out what the enemy was doing. now all we need to do is -- is look at and see what the enemy is doing. we have the capability toot that and that gives us the distance advantage. information is powerful. and i think we have -- we realize that.

>> it's a good time to be in your business. >> anytime to be in my business and i think it will be for a very long time. >> do you think the demands will ease up anytime soon? >> no, i don't expect it. isr specifically just doesn't seem to be enough of what everybody wants and we're going to get touched up by other platforms to collect intelligence. so i don't -- i don't really foresee that demand is going to really let up significantly anytime soon. you ready? >> uh, yep. >> okay, here it comes. 70. >> you really can see things with astonishing fidelity from up here. >> yes, definitely. >> how often do you look down

and spot something that nobody knows about. hey guys, something -- something you know, there's dust tracks or -- >> from up here you can see -- see a lot. with the mark one eyeball i mean you can spot things. i can see roads and towns and you know even individual buildings. things like those fires going on. yeah, you can see a bit. i mean every person that is you know in an airborne platform should be looking out with their eyeball that heir looking at in -- eyeballs what they're looking at in essence. and all systems on the airplane failed. all the systems on the airplane failed you still have the guide looking out. little hard to do on the global hawk but you know -- >> you know when you're up in here. >> yep. >> it's -- beautiful. it's peaceful. >> right. >> you can't see al-qaeda.

>> right. >> you can't see strife, conflict, famine. i mean i know there are some human signs, obviously. we got that. does it kind of change your perspective on things? the place looks smaller from here than it does from the ground. >> it definitely changed my perception on what's big and what's small. it does. i catch myself looking down knowing that there's probably war going on and people are dying and killing each other. >> on guard, on guard. >> you know, get isolated. from everything. yeah. i mean, it'd be nice if the world was as peaceful as what i'm seeing from up here. but it isn't. >> and you see yourself as a key way to make sure that it stays peaceful. >> yes, i do.

you know, by watching -- and being ready. i think is very important. for the nation to stay ready and be ready to tackle threats as they come. you know sometimes you won't be able to see it coming but our job is to you know be the watchtower. watch out and spot anything before it gets here. >> so what's the future of aerial reconnaissance? do you think? >> i think there's going to be a mixed manned and unmanned platforms and a lot more networking among individual platforms and stealth is going to be introduced. i definitely believe that. it's going to be a high performance aspect to it as well. high performance and you know what we have basically for access. and some for access. capability, there's going a lot

of miniaturization in sensors and you'll see a drastically what an individual platform can carry and what can be put on nontraditional platforms. dealing with everything being networked. and you have an airplane -- awe know a -- or you know a vehicle. >> radio: >> you have a vehicle that you know can loiter and collect and network all that information out in realtime. to individual platforms. in the future i think it will be pretty cool. >> after two hours, colonel steve cut power, stand -- dropped the landing gear and raised the spoilers to bring down the airplane that can glide nearly 200 miles without an engine. >> nearly 200-miles from the field. ladies and gentlemen if you please take your seat. >> shall we put the tray tables in the up right position?

>> that's right. >> even with all that drag and clearing clearing a corridor for us through traffic it still takes us 30 minutes to land. >> got ten at the t. eight, six, five, four, three, two, shows up at two. two. two. two and a half three. three, two, one. tails come level at two. now at three. >> to touch down, colonel steve stalls the aircraft over the runway ending a true once in a lifetime adventure.

the airmen who coupe the u- 2 flying at the only f space, a power glider loitering at more

than 70,000 feet for more than 12 hours a time, gathering intelligence like they have during every crisis since 1956. after a week, i left in awe, convinced the air force base would likely retire such a capable platform. a month later, air force leaders said that the u-2 would indeed remain in service and instead retire the replacement. it's the latest time the dragon lady outlived their successor with higher faster flying planes like the sr-71. contrary to wide perception, it was built in the 1980s and a third larger than the original 1950s aircraft. the program is remaining cutting edge thanks to the investment in the aircraft sensors, each pilot and the top people from across the air force. despite its formittable capabilities, it must be replaced with a newer aircraft with better sensors, higher speed and stealth that can fly over earth. and until then, the legendary jet will remain the nation's reconnaissance work force. thanks for joining us this week in defense news. before we go, a special thanks to the air force chief of staff, public affairs, and

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