Senators press Pentagon on Lockheed F-22 fighter
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Six Republican senators have joined a tug-of-war with the Pentagon over bridge funds for Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) top-of-the-line F-22 Raptor fighter until President-elect Barack Obama decides its fate.
In a November 3 letter to Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, the senators pressed for the immediate release of $140 million provided by Congress as a kind of downpayment on a possible batch of 20 more F-22s.
"Anything short of this will cause suppliers to quickly stop F-22-related work, begin shutting down the lines and laying off a national high-tech work force of over 25,000 in the midst of a severe economic downturn," the senators wrote.
The letter was signed by Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia, where the F-22 undergoes final assembly; Orrin Hatch of Utah; John Thune of South Dakota; James Inhofe of Oklahoma; and John Cornyn of Texas.
A spokesman for the deputy defense secretary had no immediate comment. Last week, Cheryl Irwin, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said the Defense Department "is committed to bridging F-22 production to preserve options for the next administration."
Lockheed anticipates the Pentagon will release the funds to preserve the production line pending a final decision on the aircraft by the incoming administration, its chief executive, Robert Stevens, said Sunday during a visit to Israel.
"There is a discussion ongoing now in the Pentagon as to how to place that $140 million," Stevens told Reuters. "I have confidence that it will be placed under contract."
Leaders of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee warned Defense Secretary Robert Gates on October 31 that time was running out.
Release of the funds -- to buy items that take a long time to produce -- are required for a contract Lockheed hopes to sign by November 27.
Providing the bridge funding is a "prudent and necessary action" to sustain F-22 production until March 15, 2009 -- by when the Obama team is expected to decide, the House lawmakers said. Failing this, it could cost $500 million to restart the line that would have begun closing, they added.
The House letter was signed by Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, a Missouri Democrat; ranking Republican Duncan Hunter of California; Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii and chairman of the subcommittee on Air and Land Forces; and the subcommittee's top Republican, Jim Saxton of New Jersey.
Gates and England have voiced qualms about buying more than the 183 Raptors now on order, partly for fear of undercutting the cheaper, next-generation, radar-evading F-35, also produced by Lockheed.
The F-35 is "a little over half of the cost of an F-22," Gates told reporters on October 21. "So you can buy more, and (still) have a lot of capability."
Gates ousted the Air Force's top civilian and military leaders in June amid strains over the F-22.
Lockheed produces the F-22 aircraft in partnership with Boeing Co (BA.N) and United Technologies Corp's (UTX.N) Pratt & Whitney, which builds its dual F-119 engines.
(Reporting by Jim Wolf; editing by Tim Dobbyn)
