US Air Force completes flight testing for new U-2 sensor

The U.S. Air Force recently completed flight testing of the Collins Aerospace Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS) sensor, SYERS-2C, on the U-2.

The entire U-2 fleet has been upgraded with this sensor capability, which provides increased optical performance and accurate long-range tracking for superior threat detection in a wider range of weather conditions.

The sensor was developed by Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies, and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

“SYERS-2C represents an evolutionary step forward for the Air Force, capitalizing on a high performing, mature system to insert substantial new capabilities into the battlespace of the future,” Kevin Raftery, vice president and general manager, ISR and Space Solutions for Collins Aerospace, said. “The U-2 has been the cornerstone of the Air Force’s ISR inventory and with upgrades like SYERS-2C, the system can continue to provide increasingly valuable multi-intelligence information to the warfighter for years to come.”

The SYERS-2C sensor enables the ability to find, track, and assess moving and stationary targets.

“The SYERS-2C sensor is the premier intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imaging sensor and its integration into the U-2 Dragon Lady further enhances the aircraft’s ability to provide unparalleled strategic intelligence to our warfighters,” Irene Helley, U-2 program director, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, said. “This milestone continues our commitment to increase the flexibility of the aircraft using open mission systems to support the multi-domain battlespace.”

The U-2 Dragon Lady provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to meet the needs of commanders. Its ability to rapidly reconfigure, collect, analyze, and share data with disparate systems across the battlespace is transforming warfighting operations.