The pilot who has accumulated the most hours in a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft has called it a day. Maj. Greg Nelson completed his final Dragon Lady flight last week, after accumulating more than 2,750 flying hours over nearly 16 years of flying the U-2. He flew at the U-2 base of operations, Beale AFB, Calif., and as a U-2 test pilot at Edwards AFB, Calif., He also flew the high-flying recon bird on combat missions in the war on terror. In September, two other U-2 pilots passed 2,000 hours; perhaps Nelson’s record will stand if USAF retires the U-2, of course concern over a potential intelligence gap could delay that. (USAF report by A1C Robert Biermann)
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
