US to retire South Korea-based U-2 spy planes

The United States is planning to retire its fabled U-2 spy planes from South Korea and replace them with unmanned drones, an Air Force spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The U-2 has for decades been one of the workhorses in the U.S. Air Force's reconnaissance armada. It achieved international fame when one of its early versions, piloted by Gary Powers, was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960.

Though its role has largely been taken over by satellites, U-2 planes are still deployed to South Korea's Osan Air Base and are believed to play a major part in U.S. operations aimed at keeping an eye on North Korea.


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