A group of 250 airmen and 14 F-16 Viper aircraft from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, are in Romania for a three-week multilateral exercise that will give airmen the chance to practice low flying skills, reports Stars and Stripes. The event marks a double treat for the Spang Viper pilots. It’s the first time USAF F-16 pilots have trained in Romania, and the Spang airmen will get to fly well below their customary 1,000-foot bottom out. In Romania, they can fly down to 500 feet during exercise Viper Lance 2006, where they will meet up with the Romanian Air Force’s MiG-21s.
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.
