What I see in that article is hardly "journalism". "Wobbly", "bulbous" and "gliding at the edge of space" are terms better suited to a freshman Creative Writing course.
Ms Cohen doesn't have her facts even close... appears to know nothing about the U-2... hasn't provided much in the way of sources other than Sen Budd "noting the service's plan".
Could it happen? I guess so. I'm no insider to the workings of the staff world. Far from it.
It's no secret that SeCAF is in favor of retiring it. But with the continued successes we've had lately (don't ask), a 2026 retirement is something I'll gladly throw down a large stack of 2 dollar bills and bet against.
edit: writing this reminded me of something. In late 2010, Ben Iannotta of C4ISR Journal wrote an opinion piece about the U-2 that I took exception too. I was an active duty Lt Col flying the U-2, and wrote a rebuttal... and it got published. I recall people I knew calling me and warning me about stirring the pot, since the U-2 was not in-vogue with some of AF and DoD leadership, especially VCJCS (Gen Cartwright... the guy later pardoned by Obama).
Two months later, I was non-vol'd to the MC-12. Coincidence?