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United States

Lockheed Martin

U-2 Dragon Lady

High-altitude single-seat strategic reconnaissance aircraft operating above 70,000 feet, in continuous USAF service since the 1950s in the U-2S configuration.

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗

Data confidence Last verified 2026-07-04 ·

Stub · 15%

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

US ITAR-controlled

Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.

Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale

Fielded & proven

Operator data not public

Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Competitive field

41 comparable systems from 25 other manufacturers

Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: systems in its class built by another manufacturer. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.	660 km/h Stronger than 54% of systems in its class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.	11,278 km Top 4% of systems in its class
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.	21,336 m
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.	46 m/s

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	19.2 m
Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span.	31.39 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.	4.88 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.	7,257 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	18,144 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	1

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	General Electric F118-101 turbofan
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.	1
Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).	76 kN
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	turbofan

Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-04.

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