Why No Missiles In U-2 Spy Plane? #shorts awl you need to know
8,971Why no missiles in U-2 spy plane? if you think what's the point of having missiles in a reconnaissance aircraft, you're as wrong, because once America did attempted to armed the U-2. Curtis Lemay, commander of strategic air command, rejected the Kelly Johnson's CL-282 design that would culminate in the U-2 dragon lady, when he first approached the United States air force, by saying he has no interest in an airplane without wheels and guns. Lockheed took this criticism to the heart, yet didn't add any gun or wheels, but proposed the 315B design. It was a 2 seat U-2, but not like the U-2 training aircraft, that Lockheed already had in production. It was a U-2 that would be armed with AGM 53 condor long range air to surface missiles, to engage enemy warships at a distances of up to 60 miles. The Condor missile was intended to carry both conventional and nuclear warhead, which would have made the U-2 a nuclear attack aircraft. But sometimes, things don't go as planned, right? It was a pretty unlucky time for the Lockheed, as well as Condor's designer, the Rockwell. 250 missiles were to delivered by 1976, but unfortunately, the order was cancelled along with the program, because missile had some issues and setbacks, like unreliable propulsion system and extremely high cost of putting capable data link system. Like the Condor missiles, the 315B U-2 that Lockheed proposed, would also never make it into service. Neither with the U.S air force, nor with the U.S navy. Today, 31 U-2s are still in service with the United States air force.
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