The US military has been using fast cars to hunt its U-2 spy planes on the trail for decades. Because visibility from the cockpit is so poor, car occupants track the aircraft and relay information such as altitude and wing position to pilots – typically at over 100 mph – to ensure takeoffs and safe landings. This 2009 Pontiac G8 GT was one of the cars used to accomplish this epic task. Now it’s for sale.

This G8, listed on the government surplus auction site GovDeals.com, has only 39,789 miles on the odometer and appears to be in good condition. There are no modifications present, and everything on the car is supposed to work as it should. Cars that need to hunt spy planes on the runways need to have some grunt, and we think the 6.0-liter V-8 under the hood of this G8 fits the bill perfectly, with 355 hp and torque of 385 lb-ft when new. It was also treated to new tires, brake pads and rotors, along with an all-new six-speed automatic transmission from GM.

The car is currently located in Wisconsin and ready to bid on the GovDeals site with a high bid of $16,900 and five days remaining on the auction. While this car doesn’t stand out in the photos in any way, we bet it’ll cost a bit more than your average G8 considering where it’s coming from.

The Air Force has pursued U-2s since the aircraft’s launch in 1955, using vintage Ford station wagons before finally switching to El Caminos in the 1960s. In the mid-1980s, the work was taken over by California Highway Patrol-spec Ford Mustangs. Once the late 90s passed, the task fell to the F-body Z28 Camaros before they were eventually replaced by the Australian-built Pontiac GTOs and G8s of the mid to late 2000s. goes to Tesla Model Ss.

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