Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander, U.S. Strategic Command, shakes hands with 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Airmen after completing his flight in a U-2 Dragon Lady. The U-2 is a high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that can fly at 70,000 feet; the pilots have to wear a special pressure suit to protect themselves from the extreme high altitudes. General Chilton visited Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 9-11. During his visit the general was a guest speaker during for a reunion of current and former U-2 pilots, maintainers and support staff associated with the U-2 program. In addition to being a guest speaker at the reunion, he saw firsthand how the remotely piloted aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk provides high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to forward deployed warfighters. “Global Hawks will continue to bring a broad range of ISR collection capabilities that support the joint warfighter in real time contingency and wartime operations for decades,” said General Chilton. “As a result, we can expect to see dramatic increases in operational demand for these assets.”