The U-2, nicknamed 'Dragon Lady', is steeped in intrigue - after three separate production runs it is still gathering intelligence more than six decades on from its first flight in 1955. It operates in direct support of national command authorities and was previously flown by the CIA and later the USAF. The work of this legendary aircraft is still mostly top secret. In 1976, the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (99th SRS) joined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (9th SRW) at Beale AFB, California. It was (at the time) the sole U-2 operational squadron, which then had nine of the original 12 U-2R models, a handful of U-2Cs and a pair of U-2CT two-seat trainers. The 99th became a sister squadron to the 1st SRS (SR-71 Blackbird) and two KC-135 tanker support squadrons, the 349th and 350th Air Refueling Squadrons.
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