The boss of US Strategic Command, Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright acknowledges that the high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft has one major drawback: its pilot. The pilot “limits the duration on station.” Having said that, Cartwright told lawmakers that its obvious replacement—the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle—has “to demonstrate its capability, both in the upgrades and the numbers, before we want to let go of the U-2.” Congress last year prevented the Air Force from accelerating U-2 retirement because it perceived an intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance gap. Cartwright admitted that USAF has to perform “a balancing act,” however he maintained, “I cannot afford a gap in capability.”
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
