UAVs too expensive, AF bringing back U2

General General Discussion
1

Pretty lightly sourced, but WTF. $216m for a UAV? Does it have a Lo-Jack in it to keep it from being hacked by Iranians?

http://bigpeace.com/nmachiavelli/2012/01/27/usaf-to-cut-global-hawk-surveillance-drones-revive-50-year-old-u-2-spy-plane-program/

Is this just some negotiation tactic with Northrup?

I do think that UAVs jumped the shark awhile ago. I think the strategy of lots of low end UAVs is better than a few expensive eggs in our basket.

Anyone here have better insight into what is going on here?

2

As I understand it, only the Block 30 version is being axed. The Block 40(with an improved radar/sensor system) is still being proceeded with. The Navy’s version is also not affected by this cancellation.

Evidently, the Block 30 Global Hawk was supposed to be an economical replacement for the U-2, but that didn’t work out. It pretty much priced itself out of the picture.

3

There’s nothing to bring back, the U2 never went away