News

Dec. 16, 2020
Old dog teaches DOD new tricks: U-2 achieves first military flight with artificial intelligence

The U.S. Air Force flew artificial intelligence as a working aircrew member for the first time yesterday, signaling a major leap forward for national defense in the digital age. The AI algorithm, developed by Air Combat Command’s U-2 Federal Laboratory, flew aboard a U-2 Dragon Lady assigned to
Oct. 6, 2020
U-2 Federal Lab achieves flight with Kubernetes

The U-2 Federal Laboratory successfully leveraged Kubernetes during a local training sortie on a U-2 Dragon Lady assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, on September 22. This represents the first time Kubernetes has flown on an operational major weapon system in
Oct. 6, 2020
U-2 Federal Lab Achieves Flight with Kubernetes

The U-2 Federal Laboratory successfully leveraged Kubernetes during a local training sortie on a U-2 Dragon Lady assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, on September 22. This represents the first time Kubernetes has flown on an operational major weapon system in
Aug. 4, 2020
Training the Nation's Future Fleet of U-2 Pilots

History was made July 31, 2020 when U.S. Air Force retired Lt. Col. Jonathan Huggins, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron U-2 instructor, became the first civilian instructor in the U-2 program to fly solo.Huggins retired on Sep. 26, 2014 and has served as a U-2 pilot instructor for 15 of the 18 years he’s
May 13, 2020
Making history, reserve pilot flies the U-2 for the first time

For the first time in Air Force history and the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, reservist Maj. Jeffrey Anderson, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, qualified to fly the U-2 Dragon Lady.
March 25, 2020
Keeping Airmen Healthy While the Mission Keeps Going

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 can spread through small droplets released when an infected person coughs or exhales. These droplets land on surfaces around a person and put other people at risk of getting infected. To prevent the spreading of COVID-19, Airmen are
Jan. 17, 2020
No Margin For Error

When a plane goes down, an ejection seat keeps pilots from going down with it. Ejecting from an ejection seat is not something a pilot wants to do, but it is something they have to do in case of an emergency where everything else in an aircraft fails. It is their last chance at survival, and their
April 19, 2019
9th MXG maintain rare U-2 Black Letter Jet at Beale

A team of Airmen from the 9th Maintenance Group certified a U-2 Dragon Lady as a rare black-letter jet for flight March 17, 2019 Beale.
Jan. 11, 2019
9th PSPTS show resilience, continue mission in face of flood

The 9th Physiological Support Squadron main building experienced major flooding the night of Jan. 6, 2019, and into the morning.
Dec. 11, 2018
Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

One of the things that makes Beale unique is the U-2 Dragon Lady, another is the presence of cows on the base. The cows are such a fixture there is actually a running cow count, which currently stands at 1881. The cows are here due to a grazing program where the base leases approximately 12,000