『每日軍事武器鑑賞』－ U-2「蛟龍夫人」偵察機

克里斯Chris

While in flight, the pilot's "cocoon" provides 100% oxygen at all times - even during an ejection. The pressure suit prevents hypoxia that would be present at the normal U-2 cabin altitude of 29,500 feet. Hypoxia is caused by a lack of oxygen reaching the bodily tissues. The symptoms of hypoxia include blurred or tunnel vision, dizziness, slow reaction time, as well as poor muscle coordination. Without a full pressure suit to provide supplemental oxygen, the pilot has 30 to 60 seconds before becoming incapacitated.

In addition to preventing hypoxia, the 100% oxygen provided to the pilot at least 1 hour before takeoff as well as during flight decreases the high probability of getting decompression sickness by eliminating most of the nitrogen from the aviator's body. Decompression sickness - or the "bends" - occurs when bubbles of nitrogen develop in a person's blood and tissues. This happens after a rapid reduction in surrounding pressure, is exhibited by pain in the joints, and has the potential of being fatal.

The next threat that the space suit protects pilots from is Armstrong's Line. Water boils at a higher temperature at sea level than it does in the Colorado Rockies, and at 63,000 feet in the sky, water boils at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit - body temperature. In fact, at FL 630, atmospheric pressure equals the water pressure in hte human. As a result, without a pressure suit to protect the pilot in the event of cabin pressurization loss, the water in the aviator's body would escape as a gas thereby causing damage to tissues and blocking blood flow. In this scenario, the air trapped inside the pressure suit protects the pilot from decompression. Therefore, as the cabin altitude goes from FL 295 to FL 700+, the pressure inside the suit increases to maintain a physiological altitude of 35,000 feet - much better than FL 700.

The last high altitude hazard that the space suit protects against is extreme cold. At operational altitudes, the air temperature is 70 degrees below zero. The suit prevents hypothermia, frostbite, and keeps eyeballs from freezing in the event the pilot ejects or loses cabin heat.

Despite all this protection, flying at extreme altitudes still takes a toll physiologically. Heat build-up in the suit due to physical activity - especially during taxi, pattern work, and landing - can be rapid and incapacitating. Discomfort, profuse sweating, fatigue, dizziness, and decreased situational awareness make flying the U-2 even more "interesting." Dehydration is a constant threat due to breathing dry aviator's oxygen for extended periods of time and the sweating associated with wearing a sealed rubber suit. Since going 9+ hours without drinking also compounds physiological problems, fluid intake is vital. All normal physiological maintenance activities - eating, drinking, urination - are complicated in the suit and can increase the stress and fatigue already associated with flying.

克里斯Chris

Specifications
Primary Function	high-altitude reconnaissance
Contractor	Lockheed Aircraft Corp.
VARIANT	U-2A	U-2R	TR-1	U-2S
Wing span	80 feet	103 feet
Length	49.5 feet	63 feet
Empty Weight	11,700 lbs	14,900 lbs [td=2,1]16,000 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight	16,000 lb	41,000 lb (18,598 kg)
Maximum Speed	528 mph	510 mph	495 mph	~500 mph
Engine	P&W J57-P-37A	P&W J75-P-13B		GE F-118-101
Engine Thrust	11,200 lbst [td=2,1]17,000 lbst	19,000 lbst
Ceiling	85,000 feet	80,000 feet [td=2,1]90,000 feet
Range	2,200 miles	3,500 miles	4,000 miles	4,600 miles
Endurance on internal fuel	6.5 hours	7.5 hours	12 hours	+10 hours
Date Deployed	Aug 1955	1967	Sep 1981	Oct 1994
Crew	One (two in trainer models)
Cost	Classified			$400 million
Production and Inventory	Production: 30 U-2A all converted to later models and retired by April 1989	Production: 16 U-2B 15 U-2R all converted to later models	Production: 25 TR-1A 2 TR-1B 2 ER-1	Inventory 32 Active force + 4 trainers 0 Reserve 0 ANG

克里斯Chris

Year	Class A Mishaps	Total Annual Flight Hours	U-2 Flight History
1963	1		During the early years of the U-2 program, the aircraft had mishaps. All of these mishaps were investigated, but the reports were limited in number. None were released to the general Air Force community nor were they put into the Safety Center's data base. Also, the flight hours accumulated per year were a closely guarded secret, so the ability to get an accurate mishap rate was very difficult. However, since the U-2 program has been largely declassified, this information is now available. The information provided in this chart is accurate, but the early years should be viewed with a wary eye. This chart represents all of the mishaps the Air Force Safety Center is aware of and all of the flying time flown by the U-2 since 1963. For the years FY63 to FY69, there is no accurate information on flying hours for the U-2 aircraft. The U-2 aircraft was designed and fielded during the height of the Cold War, and this aircraft was one of the most secret US weapon systems. Also, the U-2 was designed in the 1950s ago when there wasn't any computer-aided design, system safety was just a dream, and the technology was on the outer limits of the aircraft industry. However, the U-2 has performed outstandingly against all these odds and has been called upon when the nation needed valuable information on various hot spots in the world. So the mishap rate may be higher compared to newer aircraft (F-15 and F-16) or against aircraft of the same era (B-52 or C-130). But these aircraft have gone through many, many changes during the years of their operation. In the early 1990s the mishap rates were relatively high. However, there was no one main reason for the increase in the mishap rate. This fact made the management of the U-2 program difficult at best. The aircraft is being upgraded with a new engine and other components, but as the Air Force Chief of Staff has indicated, this weapon system is in the sunset of its career.
1964
1965
1966	1
1967	1
1968	1
1969
1970		4,413
1971	1	4,241
1972	1	7,732
1973		10,718
1974		11,425
1975	2	10,791
1976		8,717
1977	1	9,395
1978		8,934
1979		10,126
1980	3	10,800
1981		10,211
1982		10,131
1983		12,555
1984	3	13,257
1985		11,788
1986		13,954
1987		16,785
1988		16,730
1989		17,620
1990	1	18,001
1991		19,820
1992	1	16,597
1993	1	18,085
1994	1	15,643
1995	1	17,726
1996	2	13,762
NOTES: Calender year through 1987, Fiscal Year thereafter No Flight hours data available prior to 1970 SOURCE: U-2 Mishap History and data table Flying Safety Magazine December 1996

克里斯Chris

Operating Locations
Air Force U-2s have been used for various missions, with primary operations originating out of Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA, Beale Air Force Base, CA, and Alconbury, UK. Beale AFB serves as the U-2's Home station. Besides a full compliment of flightline support, Beale AFB provides full backshop support functions as well as the capability to access depot facilities. Training and operational missions are flown from Beale AFB. It normally supports 12-16 aircraft on-station. All ACC special purpose U-2 aircraft deploy all over the world. These bases have flightline support capabilities, but are limited in back-shop support.
ACTIVE LOCATIONS
Air Force Plant 42 - Palmdale, CA,
Beale Air Force Base, CA
Osan Air Base, South Korea
RAF Alconbury, UK
RAF Akrotiri Air Base, Cyprus

INACTIVE LOCATIONS
Area 51, Groom Lake, NV
Taif Air Base, Saudi Arabia

克里斯Chris

U-2 圖片參考：


U-2 Picture Gallery - imagery OF the U-2
U-2 Imagery Gallery - imagery FROM the U-2

（文章來自:單座單發動機的高空偵察機)

克里斯Chris

U-2偵察機

維基百科，自由的百科全書


U-2

類型 偵察機
生產公司 洛克希德
設計者 凱利·詹森
首次飛行 1955年8月
服役 1956年
使用狀態 在役
主要用戶 美國空軍
生產數量 約86架
單位造價 4億美元(U-2S)[1

克里斯Chris

洛克希德U-2，外號蛟龍夫人(Dragon Lady)，是美國空軍一種單座單發動機的高空偵察機。能不分晝夜於70,000英尺(21,000米+)高空執行全天候偵察任務。在和平時期、危機、小規模衝突和戰爭中為決策者提供重要情報。此機亦用於電子感應器研發、確認衛星資料和校準。

雖然首飛至今已經五十多年，但U-2仍然活躍於前線，服役期較他的繼承者於1998年退役時速達3馬赫的SR-71更長。U-2生產線曾於80年代重開。一份於2005年12月23日由美國國防部核準的機密預算文件中，要求U-2計畫最遲於2011年結束，並於2007年初將部份U-2除役。U-2很大機會會由諾斯洛普·格魯門公司製造的全球鷹無人飛行載具所取代。

克里斯Chris

發展起源
自40年代起冷戰展開，美國對蘇聯國內的情報需求甚切。空軍開始以波音RB-47偵察機闖入蘇聯領空進行高空偵照，當時蘇聯的空防仍然存在漏洞，很多邊界和領空都未有雷達覆蓋，美軍就利用這些空隙進入蘇聯領空進行偵察。到1950年蘇聯的防空政策有非常重大的轉變，開始攻擊一些飛近國界或入侵領空的外國飛機。隨著韓戰於1950年6月爆發，蘇聯的「嚴格防空政策」(severe air defence policy)更延申到遠東地區。1952年8月，蘇聯戰機闖入日本北海道領空擊落1架美國空軍RB-29偵察機，於蘇聯領空進行高空偵照變得愈來愈危險。

因此，美國空軍開始尋求一種飛行高度70,000英尺或以上的亞音速高空偵察機，藉高飛行高到來逃避蘇方戰機攔截，當時最先進的蘇聯戰機—米格-17飛行高度為45,000英尺。1953年7月，空軍要求格倫·L·馬丁公司研究將B-57坎培拉式轟炸機改良成一種超高空偵察機的可行性，也與貝爾飛機公司和費柴爾德公司簽訂研究合同，認為這些小公司能較快完成研發和生產。到1954年1月，3家公司均各自提出了自己的設計。費柴爾德公司提出了M-195設計，單發動機，飛行高度67,200英尺；貝爾飛機公司則提出了67型(後來的X-16[3])設計，雙發動機，飛行高度69,500英尺。而格倫·L·馬丁公司則為B-57加裝了一對大機翼，使飛行高度能達到64,000英尺。

未有與空軍簽訂研究合同的洛竭公司在得知空軍計劃後，於1954年3月開始由凱利·詹森(Clarence "Kelly" Johnson)向空軍將領和文官(civilian official)多次展示飛行高度超過70,000英尺，航程2,000英里的CL-282設計。部份文官對CL-282非常有興趣，但將領們卻相返。一位將領更於展示途中離場，並說對這種沒有起落架和槍炮的飛機毫無興趣。[4]

1954年6月1日，洛竭的設計正式被空軍以單發動機和太怪異為由否決。空軍選定貝爾飛機公司的X-16和改裝現有的B-57成為高空偵察機。並於9月與貝爾飛機公司簽訂建造28架X-16的合同。[5]

1954年7月26日，隨著蘇聯威脅越來越大，總統艾森豪授權占姆士·克林(James Rhyne Killian)成立和領導一個智囊團去研究國家現有的技術能否面對當前的問題[6]。智囊團分為三組，其中一組負責調查美國的情報能力，名為「Project 3」。「Project 3」由埃德溫·蘭德(Edwin H. Land)領導，還有另外5位成員。同年8月，蘭德到華盛頓與一些國內情報機構會面時，從一位中情局官員手中接到一份CL-282設計圖，並告訴他空軍已經否決了這個設計[7]，蘭德看過設計圖後留下了深刻印象。幾天後，他向「Project 3」其他成員展示這份設計圖，所有成員都對這架飛機非常有興趣，並認為中情局較空軍適合於和平時期對蘇聯進行高空偵照。「Project 3」成員於10月向當時中情局局長艾倫·道勒斯(Allen Welsh Dulles)討論CL-282的概念，但道勒斯並不希望中情局接手任何空軍的計劃，即使已經被空軍否決的也一樣。[8]1954年11月初，克林和蘭德與艾森豪總統會面，向他解說CL-282的設計和討論有關高空偵察機的問題。最後，艾森豪總統批准發展CL-282，並同意新高空偵察機計劃應該由中情局負責。[9]

1954年11月23日，艾森豪總統正式批准中情局接手CL-282，並要空軍提供一切必要的協助[10]。12月22日，中情局與洛竭公司簽訂意向書，建造20架CL-282機體和1架雙座型及其他零件，由空軍提供發動機。正式合同於1955年3月2日簽訂，而X-16計劃則於U-2首飛後終止，未有造出實機。

克里斯Chris

設計




於帝國戰爭博物館展示的U-2，可以看到修長的機翼。

由於CL-282設計作偵察之用，因此官方名稱代號並未有使用B-(轟炸機)或F-(戰鬥機)，但它屬高度機密，所以又不能使用偵察機代號。為了隱藏其真實用途，美國空軍於1955年7月選擇了U-(utility，多用途)這個代號，自此CL-282就訂名為U-2。

由於屬高度機密，凱利把設計辦公室遷移到位於加州伯班克(Burbank)的臭鼬工廠(Skunk works)內，並把工程人員安排在離U-2生產線50英尺內的地方工作，以方便工程人員在生產出現問題時能迅速修正。[11]

凱利以F-104星式戰鬥機為藍本，把那對低展弦比(aspect ratio)的機翼換成一對類似滑翔機的超修長機翼， 高展弦比的機翼令U-2有著跟滑翔機相似的飛行特性。其獨特的著陸特性和極高的飛行高度，令駕駛U-2的挑戰性非常大。為了保持70,000英尺的飛行高度，U-2A和U-2C必須以最高速度飛行。然而，70,000英尺高空上U-2的失速速度與最高速度只相差5節(每小時9公里)。近九成任務中，U-2飛行員都要把速度保持於那5節之內，飛行高度常常因此而下跌，導致被敵方發現。

為了減輕重量，U-2在製造上採用了很多滑翔機技術，機翼和垂直尾翼只以拉緊螺栓(Tension Bolt)安裝於機身，機翼亦未有像傳統飛機一樣穿過機身以增加強度，內部則載有U-2大部份燃油。[12]而每邊機翼下都裝有1個鈦金屬製的滑橇以在著陸時保護機翼。

另一個外觀特徵就是其起落架，與其他飛機的典型三點式設計(機鼻1個，機翼下2個)不同，U-2的「腳踏車式」起落架只有2個，主翼下方1個，發動機尾下方裝有另1個可轉向起落架。為了於滑行時保持平衡，翼下裝有一對名為「pogos」的拋棄式輔助輪。「pogos」會於U-2起飛時掉落，並由地勤人員回收再用。

U-2原型機設計配備1具重3,820磅，提供13,000磅推力的普惠J57/P31發動機，但由於當時RB-57D都是配備這種發動機，J57/P31的生產數量未能完全供應兩種機種使用。因此，U-2原型機只配備一具較J57/P31重276磅，只能產生10,200磅推力的J57/P31。

克里斯Chris

著陸

U-2被公認為空軍中最具挑戰性的機種，對飛行員的技術要求甚高。其修長的機翼令U-2有跟滑翔機相似的飛行特性，對側風極之敏感，並傾向於跑道上飄浮，使得著陸非常困難。

第2飛行員通常會被指定為任務的後備飛行員和機動員(mobile officer)，機動員會坐在1輛高性能追逐車(high-performance chase car)內，並於跑道頭等待。著陸的U-2飛越後，追逐車會以高速跟隨並由車上的機動員通過無線電向飛行員喊出高度。當主起落架與地面相距2英尺時，飛行員會展開翼上的擾流板以降低升力。著陸後，減速板會於機翼後的機身展開來減慢飛機速度，並以一邊翼尖觸地。

U-2停下後，在附近待命的地勤人員會為U-2裝上「pogos」輔助輪。地勤人員會先將「pogos」安裝於較「輕」(未有觸地)的一邊機翼，然後由兩名地勤人員以自身重量把安裝了「pogos」一邊機翼拉下，並由第3位地勤人員於另一邊機翼安裝「pogos」。完成之後，U-2會以自力滑行到停機坪。



滑行中的U-2與其身後的高性能追逐車