Congressional moves to cut funds for production of the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor took a set closer to reality on 23 July, when the House of Representatives voted to withhold $1.8 billion for the first six aircraft.
US Air Force (USAF) and industry hopes to restore funding now rest will the House-Senate budget conference later this year. The Senate has voted to fund the F-22 programme fully.
The House proposes using the $1.8 billion production money to buy more Boeing F-15s, Lockheed Martin F-16s, KC-130J tankers and Northrop Grumman Joint-STARS battlefield surveillance aircraft (Flight International, 21-27 July). The USAF warns the cut could kill the F-22 programme.
Lockheed Martin say it is "disappointed" at the House of Representatives' move and adds that the USAF has "a well established [F-22] production plan" to minimise risk and stabilise costs. The manufacturer says of the House-Senate budget conference: "We remain convinced that when the conferees meet later this summer they will uphold the President's (F-22 funding) request." Funding cuts have reduced F-22 procurement targets from over 600 aircraft to 339.
Source: Flight International
