Cleared for take-off

Airmen make the final preparations for a U-2 to get off the ground for an October 2009 flight from a base in Southwest Asia.

Getting back to the topic of drones versus manned aircraft that kicked off this slideshow, we give you these words from an Air Force officer at that base: "Global Hawks and U-2s complement each other," Lt. Col. Kirt Stallings, commander of the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, said in an Air Force report at the time. "For example, if a U-2 pilot finds four different hot spots that need monitoring, they can reach out to other assets, like Global Hawks, to provide ISR needs. A U-2 is more capable, but a Global Hawk can remain on station after a U-2 has to turn back."