PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC
Boeing is looking to US Congress to either mandate its participation in the Lockheed Martin-led Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme or accelerate alternative developments such as a proposed electronic attack variant of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) or 767-based tankers to keep the company's military design capabilities intact.
The immediate fallout of Lockheed Martin's selection was confined to a 10% slide in Boeing's stock and $1 billion downward revision of the company's projected revenue for next year. The impact was cushioned to an extent by Boeing's diversified aerospace portfolio, Super Hornet orders and one-third share in the Lockheed Martin-led F-22 programme, but the near-term concern is development work for its JSF design team.
"We need to get some good, hard engineering work in here- the perishable commodity here is people," says Jerry Daniels, chief executive, Boeing Military Aircraft & Missiles Systems.
He says Boeing's main options include taking a "significant" share of the JSF programme or accelerating UCAV, adding "either one we would welcome". Other potential developments include the proposed EA-18 and a Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft for the US Navy and a 767-based tanker and Multirole Command and Control Aircraft for the US Air Force.
Lockheed Martin appears cool to the prospect of opening the F-35 programme to Boeing, without its "winner takes all" contract with the US Government being revised. "We will be speaking with our competitor Boeing about capabilities from its programme," says the company, adding: "We take very seriously our responsibility to deliver the total best value solution."
Texas senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has also indicated she will oppose any legislative move to force local manufacturer Lockheed Martin to share its spoils.
This is a response to moves by Missouri political representatives, led by senator Christopher Bond, that would add a second production line at Boeing's St Louis plant. "We are looking at an amendment that would kick off the debate we need. The defence department in essence has given Lockheed Martin the ability to decide on the industrial base for the next half century," says an aide to Bond.
Accelerating UCAV would require the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency to restructure the programme around an iterative development that could field a reconnaissance or electronic warfare version ahead of the planned combat vehicle. "By adding capability slowly you could then get it out a whole lot quicker," suggests Larry Dickenson, Forecast International analyst.
Other observers are sceptical that there is the necessary technical maturity to accelerate the programme any faster than the planned 2010 fielding. Boeing's X-45 UCAV demonstrator is only now starting taxiing trials and is not scheduled to fly before the end of the year, more than 15 months after it was rolled out. UCAVs are also struggling to secure funding in ongoing budget discussions.
While Boeing is pushing the navy to commit to the next multi-year purchase of F/A-18E/Fs and start work on a EA-18 version, there appears to be few other alternatives to maintaining a core fighter capability.
"Boeing will sell hundreds of additional aircraft over this decade, but they will be military versions of its commercial offerings and very different from a fighter, and I'm not sure how it will be able to apply its fighter capabilities to the programmes," says Loren Thompson, Lexington Institute chief executive.
Source: Flight International
