Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC
The US Air Force will be required to restructure its Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 development as the result of an agreed $1 billion reprieve. This leaves the programme largely intact for now, but subject to closer future Congressional scrutiny.
Congressional negotiators have reached a consensus that preserves about $1 billion of the $1.8 billion F-22 procurement funding that the House Appropriations Committee wanted to cut. Future production funding will depend on the F-22 meeting new development criteria.
The defence secretary will be required to state whether the F-22 meets critical targets in the areas of stealth, avionics and weapons integration before funding for 2001 can be approved. This will require earlier flight testing of the F-22's Block 3.0 avionics software. It had been set for December next year.
Lockheed Martin and Boeing must demonstrate that the F-22 "works as we hope it works before they ever get to the point of production", says House Appropriations defence subcommittee chairman Jerry Lewis. The Republican representative has been the main advocate of withholding production funds for the F-22.
Dependent on this is funding in 2001 for an initial batch of 10 low rate initial production (LRIP) F-22s, previously designated as lot 2. The next budget includes $227 million in long lead funding for the fighters. The original six LRIP aircraft are on schedule to be built next year, but have been redesignated as test and evaluation aircraft. A further $400 million and $150 million will be needed in 2001 and 2002 to complete the aircraft.
Lexington Institute analyst Loren Thompson says: "Activities have been relabelled, but the programme came through largely unscathed. The important thing is that the budget provides for the same amount of production activity and advance procurement remains on track. The only substantial impact will be if they fail to meet the new exit criteria".
The Senate and House will set aside $300 million in contractor termination fees if it cancels the $20 billion development.
Source: Flight International
