The plan is included in the military’s budget proposal which is currently before Congress. Base spokesman – Staff Sergeant Zack Wilson – says the switch would help modernize their fleet. 

"The Global Hawks will start coming into Beale Air Force Base over the next few years, approximately 50 Global Hawks will start coming in. And the Global Hawks have similar jobs that the U-2 can do and in a lot of instances they can exceed the capabilities of the U-2 such as duration of flight and the range." 

Wilson says they’re not sure yet how the switch will affect base employees. Beale Air Force Base is in Yuba County near Marysville. It employs about 1,300 civilians and about 4,500 military personnel.