Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz believes the service has to keep the U-2 Dragon Lady viable through the transition to the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle because “what the U-2 does is irreplaceable.” He made that comment Aug. 21 at an Airmen’s Call on his first visit to Beale AFB, Calif., home to both the U-2 and RQ-4. Schwartz acknowledged that incorporating the U-2’s “range of sensor capabilities” on the RQ-4 “is taking longer than we’d like.” He vowed, “I will pay attention to the transition, and we will sustain the U-2 until we have a solid transition.” Schwartz noted that intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance work is “vital to today’s fight,” and, since the U-2 is part of that vital ISR capability, he said, “we’ve got to rock and roll all the way to the finish line.” (Beale report by SSgt. Sarah Brown)
U.S. military and law enforcement officials captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a high-stakes military operation on Jan. 3, a mission carried out by the Army's Delta Force and supported by extensive American airpower.
