U.S. Air Force U-2 aircraft provides Hurricane Rita imagery

  • Published
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
The first U.S. Air Force U-2 surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft tasked to collect images of the Gulf Coast before Hurricane Rita hits returned to Beale Air Force Base, Calif. at approximately 4 p.m. yesterday.

The unique mission requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, collected imagery of the Gulf Coast region from Lake Charles, La. to Brownsville, Texas in preparation of Hurricane Rita. Before and after photos allow emergency officials to accurately measure the damage and plan emergency relief and evacuation efforts.

"The 9th Reconnaissance Wing flew three high-altitude missions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, surveying approximately 130,000 square miles of territory and helping to provide more than 4,470 frames of imagery," said Col. Domenick Eanniello, 9th Reconnaissance Wing vice commander. "While our thoughts and prayers remain with those devastated by Hurricane Katrina, we are now continuing our support of FEMA by helping to prepare for Hurricane Rita."

The Optical Bar Camera carried is ideal for this type of mission due to its ability to capturing high-resolution photographs of large areas, coupled with the ability to magnify those images. If requested, the 9th Reconnaissance Wing is standing by to obtain additional imagery of any devastation that may be caused by Hurricane Rita.