An USAF U-2 high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft was forced to divert to RAF Mildenhall during the night.
The Lockheed U-2 was about to land at RAF Fairford but fog prevented it.
The visibility at RAF Fairford was only 200 ft and the pilot informed the traffic control that he could not see any landing light.
The last U2 at Mildenhall visit was on 10th August 2020.
The aircraft needs special assistance.
Because of the space suit, the U-2’s hull shape, and a dual-wheeled landing gear along the center of the aircraft, the pilot has great difficulty seeing the ground. During takeoff and landing, the U-2 is followed by a chase car.
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed “Dragon Lady”, is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.