Editing Lockheed U-2 (section)

====Asia====
CIA overflights of Asian targets began in spring 1958 when Detachment C moved from Japan to [[Naval Air Station Cubi Point]] in the Philippines to overfly Indonesia during an uprising against [[Sukarno]]'s "[[Guided Democracy in Indonesia|Guided Democracy]]" government. The CIA's [[Civil Air Transport]], aiding the rebels, so badly needed pilots that it borrowed two CIA U-2 pilots despite the high risk to the U-2 program if one were captured. The Indonesian government soon defeated the rebels, however, and the U-2s returned to Japan. That year, Detachment C also flew over the Chinese coast near [[Quemoy]] during the [[Second Taiwan Strait Crisis]] to see if Communist Chinese forces were preparing to invade, and in 1959 aided CIA operations during the [[1959 Tibetan uprising|Tibetan uprising]]. The unit was collecting high-altitude air samples to look for evidence of Soviet nuclear tests when it was withdrawn from Asia after the May 1960 U-2 incident.{{sfn|Pedlow|Welzenbach|1992|pp=211–220}}

On 24 September 1959, an unmarked U-2, Article 360, crash landed to {{ill|Fujisawa Airfield |jp|藤沢飛行場}} of Japan. Armed American security forces in plainclothes soon arrived and moved away locals at gunpoint, increasing public interest in the crash.<ref name="afmag-richelson">{{cite magazine|author=Jeffrey T. Richelson|url=http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2001/July%202001/0701crash.aspx|title=When Secrets Crash|magazine=Air Force Magazine|date=July 2001|access-date=1 November 2019|archive-date=2 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102051828/http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2001/July%25202001/0701crash.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The unlawfulness of the {{ill|Black Jet Incident|jp|黒いジェット機事件}} was criticized in Japan's House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kokkai.ndl.go.jp/SENTAKU/syugiin/033/0512/03312010512014c.html |language=ja |work=Japan's House of Representatives 033rd assembly minutes No.14 |title=Urgent inquiry concerning unidentified aircraft flying over Japanese territory |date=1 December 1959 |access-date=2 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502140523/http://kokkai.ndl.go.jp/SENTAKU/syugiin/033/0512/03312010512014c.html |archive-date=2 May 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The same Article 360 was later shot down in the May 1960 U-2 incident. A month before the incident, another U-2 crash landed in rural Thailand. Locals helped the US remove the aircraft without publicity.<ref name="afmag-richelson"/>

Detachment G pilots began using the [[#China|unmarked Taiwanese "Detachment H" U-2]] for North Vietnam overflights in February 1962, but as tactical intelligence became more important, after the [[Gulf of Tonkin Resolution]] of August 1964 SAC took over all U-2 missions in Indochina. In late November 1962, Detachment G was deployed to [[Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base]], Thailand, to carry out overflights of the Chinese-Indian border area after Indian prime minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] requested military aid following the [[Sino-Indian War]] in October–November 1962. In 1963, India agreed to an American request for a permanent U-2 base for Soviet and Chinese targets, offering [[Charbatia Air Base|Charbatia]], although it was only briefly used and Takhli remained Department G's main Asian base.{{sfn|Pedlow|Welzenbach|1992|pp=230–234}}<ref>Raj, Yashwant. [http://in.news.yahoo.com/india-used-us-spy-planes-map-chinese-incursion-183000364.html "India used US spy planes to map Chinese incursion in Sino-Indian war."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820103028/http://in.news.yahoo.com/india-used-us-spy-planes-map-chinese-incursion-183000364.html |date=20 August 2013 }}''Hindustan Times'', 16 August 2013. Retrieved: 7 December 2015.</ref> After the Vietnamese ceasefire in January 1973 prohibited American military flights, CIA pilots again used the unmarked Detachment H U-2 over North Vietnam during 1973 and 1974.{{sfn|Pedlow|Welzenbach|1992|pp=246–247}} Several U-2s were lost over China.{{sfn|Robarge|2012|p=32}}

In 1963, the CIA started project Whale Tale to develop carrier-based U-2Gs to overcome range limitations. During the development of the capability, CIA pilots took off and landed U-2Gs on the aircraft carrier {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|2}} and other ships. The U-2G was used only twice operationally. Both flights from ''Ranger'' occurred in May 1964 to observe France's development of an [[atomic bomb]] test range at [[Moruroa]] in [[French Polynesia]].<ref name="Carriers">Scott, Jeff. [http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0050.shtml "U-2 Aircraft Carrier Operations."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820210749/https://aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0050.shtml |date=20 August 2024 }} ''aerospaceweb.org'', 28 October 2001. Retrieved: 8 March 2009.</ref><ref>Richelson 2006, pp. 212–213.</ref>

=====Vietnam War=====
In early 1964, SAC sent a detachment of U-2s from the 4080th to [[South Vietnam]] for high altitude reconnaissance missions over [[North Vietnam]]. On 5 April 1965, U-2s from the 4028th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) took photos of SAM-2 sites near [[Hanoi]] and [[Haiphong]] harbor. On 11 February 1966, the 4080th Wing was redesignated the [[100th Air Refueling Wing|100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing]] (100 SRW) and moved to [[Davis-Monthan AFB]], [[Arizona]]. The detachment at [[Bien Hoa AB]], South Vietnam, was redesignated the 349th SRS.{{sfn|Hobson|2001|p={{page needed|date=August 2013}}}}

The only loss of a U-2 during combat operations occurred on 9 October 1966, when Major Leo Stewart, flying with the 349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, developed mechanical problems high over North Vietnam. The U-2 managed to return to South Vietnam where Stewart ejected safely. The U-2 crashed approximately {{convert|65|mi}} east-northeast of [[Saigon]] in [[Viet Cong]] (VC) territory. A [[United States Army Special Forces|Special Forces]] team was later sent to destroy the wreckage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP68B00724R000100080052-6.pdf|title=Loss of 'Trojan Horse' SAC U-2 Aircraft 9 October 1966|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|date=10 October 1966|accessdate=27 June 2021|archive-date=27 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627095026/https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP68B00724R000100080052-6.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> One member stated that they retrieved classified radar jammers from the wreckage before they could be captured by the VC and possibly transferred to the USSR.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reyes |first1=Josh |title=Vietnam veteran uses experiences to help others |url=https://www.dailypress.com/military/dp-nws-vietnam-yedinak-profile-20160214-story.html |website=Daily Press |date=14 February 2016 |access-date=6 March 2021 |archive-date=20 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920205724/https://www.dailypress.com/military/dp-nws-vietnam-yedinak-profile-20160214-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 1970, the 349th SRS at Bien Hoa moved to Thailand and was redesignated the [[99th Reconnaissance Squadron|99th SRS]] in November 1972, remaining there until March 1976.{{sfn|Hobson|2001|p=269}}