A U-2 from Beale AFB, Calif., deployed to Nellis AFB, Nev., to participate in a Red Flag exercise this month for the first time in more than 20 years. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing regularly supports Red Flag, but typically the wing’s U-2s fly from their home base in California. This time, however, pilots and maintainers got the chance to experience what it is like to operate from a “bare-base,” according to an Air Combat Command release. “We normally operate from already established forward operating locations,” U-2 Maintenance Superintendent SMSgt. David Hatch said in the release. “It’s a rare opportunity to come out and test this skill set. It’s like anything else, if you don’t use it, you lose it.” The U-2 will fly through the end of Red Flag 16-3 on July 29. As part of the exercise, the U-2 is practicing operating in contested and degraded operations, Hatch said.
Senators Want to Build Back MQ-9 Fleet by 2028
June 12, 2026
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said the MQ-9 proved to be the “most valuable player” of Operation Epic Fury—so valuable, in fact, that a key congressional panel wants to require the Air Force to grow its fleet of Reaper drones in the next few years.