13. Dragon Lady U-2
Joined the Service in 1957
Not retired: N/A
Expense: *$9.1 million
The U-2, also known as the “Dragon Lady,” is a reconnaissance aircraft with a single engine that can reach extremely high altitudes. It was flown by the CIA and is currently in use by the USAF. Regardless of the weather or time of day, the Dragon Lady gathers intelligence. NASA makes use of it as well.
U-2 Dragon Lady on Twitter.com and @marklanebiz
In 1953, Lockheed Martin presented the Dragon Lady’s first design. Shortly after, it was first flown over Vietnam, Cuba, China, and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The cost of a Dragon Lady unit today is $9.1 million, which is more than 1,000 times more than it was in 1955.
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