Really? First flight in'55, Powers was shot down on '60. Kinda fuzzy math you learned.
"...have about 80% of their airframe life left in them..."
Some of the TR-1s may have that left, but doubtful.
"The U2 can divert to a different mission in a matter of minutes, the Global Chicken cannot.
Incorrect. Global Hawk can be diverted just as quickly as U-2, perhaps even more so depending on mission length vs endurance.
"...it's rate of climb and time to reach max ceiling are garbage compared to the U-2."
Neither are an operational factor....climb to altitude is performed hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from hostile airspace.
"The only advantage to the Global Chicken is endurance..period."
Most folks might consider being unmanned an advantage, especially if it were your son sitting in a slow, unarmed target that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Post 66...new builds, maybe you’ll learn something.
The 80% factor is based on Flt hours...oh how do I know? Maybe I’m just some armchair dumbass who plays pretend with generalities on FR, like the vast majority who have outed themselves on this thread.
The average U-2S fleet aircraft has only used about 20 percent of its projected airframe life. That means the average Dragon Lady has almost 60,000 flight hours, 6,644 nine-hour missions or 35 years left on the airframe.
The Air Force has been trying for two years to kill Global Hawk, due to its lower operating altitude , less capable sensors and limitations such as an inability to operate in icing conditions .
Perhaps one attribute of interest is the U-2 ’s ability in a compromised, jammed environment . Pilots are able to navigate without a GPS signal , Austin says.