Lockheed Martin's U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh Takes Flight for the First Time

Lockheed Martin, in partnership with the United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.), announced the first flight of the U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) program, introducing advanced avionics capabilities to modernize the U-2's onboard systems.

The flight evaluated the U-2's new advanced capabilities, encompassing an updated avionics suite for modernizing onboard systems, and modern cockpit displays aimed at streamlining pilot tasks and improving data presentation for quicker, more informed decision-making. A new mission computer for the U-2 allows it to connect with different systems in air, space, sea, land, and cyber domains, even if they have different security levels, following the U.S.A.F.'s open mission systems (OMS) standard.

During this mission the aircraft successfully performed a low-altitude functional check flight to integrate new avionics, cabling and software.

Further testing will solidify a mature software baseline before mission systems are introduced to ensure both functionality and interoperability to meet operational needs, Lockheed Martin said in its official release.

The U-2 ATR contract was awarded by the U.S. Air Force in 2020 and valued at $50 million.