Lockheed to Update U-2S Aircraft Avionics for Fleet-Wide Fielding

Lockheed Martin will help the U.S. Air Force modernize, refine and evaluate the avionics systems of 31 U-2S Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft, Avionics International reported Thursday.

The company will update the aircraft’s open mission system that will undergo fleet-wide fielding under a $50M contract on the Avionics Technology Refresh effort. Lockheed will deploy its Skunk Works team for the technical work.

Irene Helley, U-2 program director at Lockheed Martin, told Avionics International that the contract provides for design, integration and assessment work across components of 31 aircraft units.

The OMS update is designed to facilitate mission and vehicle data gathering in support of maintenance planning, she added. The update also aims to allow for U-2’s compatibility with the new Advanced Battle Management System concept for situational awareness.

Helley said the first unit’s integration and testing will conclude in 2022 before modification work on the rest of the aircraft fleet.