(NSI News Source Info) ORLANDO, Florida - February 28, 2009: The U.S. Air Force's top general said Thursday
he had put forward a fresh request for top-of-the-line F-22 fighter jets that would postpone an otherwise-imminent start to shutting down Lockheed Martin Corp's production line.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters he had presented the revised plan to Defense Secretary Robert Gates this week. He declined to elaborate on their discussion.
"Until he renders a decision (on the fate of the F-22), I'd prefer to keep the content of that conversation between the (Air Force) secretary and myself and Secretary Gates," he told reporters after speaking to an Air Force Association symposium in Orlando, Florida.
Lockheed Martin has said it plans to start shutting down the F-22 production line as early as next week unless President Barack Obama decides to buy more than the 183 aircraft now budgeted for.
Schwartz said February 18 that the Air Force had scaled back its previous goal of acquiring a total of 381 F-22s. He said he would not differ with Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had said earlier the Air Force was seeking 60 more, or a total of about 243.
Asked about the size of the fleet the Air Force is now seeking, Schwartz said Thursday: "We ran the numbers, validated the assumptions, and came to the conclusion that we did."
The radar-evading F-22 Raptor is the most advanced fighter in the U.S. arsenal, most recently costing about $143 million apiece, not including development.
It has become the focus of a debate about hedging for large-scale wars versus fighting guerrillas in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and a lightning rod among arms programs in the deteriorating U.S. economy.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said this week that the administration would make its wishes known for the F-22 when it releases full details of the fiscal 2010 budget, likely in April.
In the meantime, the Pentagon planned to notify Congress on or about March 1 of its latest thinking on $90 million in congressionally provided bridge funds for the F-22 that the Pentagon has not yet spent.
"Whatever we decide to do by March 1 with regard to long-lead parts is not necessarily an indication of where we're going with the program as a whole," Morrell said.
The F-22 has strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, not least because of the jobs it provides, with suppliers strategically chosen around the country. Even if the administration opts to end the program, many lawmakers are likely to fight for continued funding.
Congress provided a total of $140 million in bridge funds to keep the F-22's production line going until at least March 1, of which $50 million has so far been spent to keep options for the aircraft intact.
Sam Grizzle, a Lockheed spokesman, said earlier this month that some F-22 suppliers already had been notified that "we will begin shutdown activities on 1 March unless the President certifies that continued production of the F-22 is in the national interest."
"If the decision on extending F-22 production is not made by March 1, additional funds, already authorized and appropriated by Congress, will be necessary to keep the line open," Grizzle added this week in response to the Pentagon's plans to put off a decision until the 2010 budget is released.
he had put forward a fresh request for top-of-the-line F-22 fighter jets that would postpone an otherwise-imminent start to shutting down Lockheed Martin Corp's production line.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters he had presented the revised plan to Defense Secretary Robert Gates this week. He declined to elaborate on their discussion.
"Until he renders a decision (on the fate of the F-22), I'd prefer to keep the content of that conversation between the (Air Force) secretary and myself and Secretary Gates," he told reporters after speaking to an Air Force Association symposium in Orlando, Florida.
Lockheed Martin has said it plans to start shutting down the F-22 production line as early as next week unless President Barack Obama decides to buy more than the 183 aircraft now budgeted for.
Schwartz said February 18 that the Air Force had scaled back its previous goal of acquiring a total of 381 F-22s. He said he would not differ with Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had said earlier the Air Force was seeking 60 more, or a total of about 243.
Asked about the size of the fleet the Air Force is now seeking, Schwartz said Thursday: "We ran the numbers, validated the assumptions, and came to the conclusion that we did."
The radar-evading F-22 Raptor is the most advanced fighter in the U.S. arsenal, most recently costing about $143 million apiece, not including development.
It has become the focus of a debate about hedging for large-scale wars versus fighting guerrillas in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and a lightning rod among arms programs in the deteriorating U.S. economy.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said this week that the administration would make its wishes known for the F-22 when it releases full details of the fiscal 2010 budget, likely in April.
In the meantime, the Pentagon planned to notify Congress on or about March 1 of its latest thinking on $90 million in congressionally provided bridge funds for the F-22 that the Pentagon has not yet spent.
"Whatever we decide to do by March 1 with regard to long-lead parts is not necessarily an indication of where we're going with the program as a whole," Morrell said.
The F-22 has strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, not least because of the jobs it provides, with suppliers strategically chosen around the country. Even if the administration opts to end the program, many lawmakers are likely to fight for continued funding.
Congress provided a total of $140 million in bridge funds to keep the F-22's production line going until at least March 1, of which $50 million has so far been spent to keep options for the aircraft intact.
Sam Grizzle, a Lockheed spokesman, said earlier this month that some F-22 suppliers already had been notified that "we will begin shutdown activities on 1 March unless the President certifies that continued production of the F-22 is in the national interest."
"If the decision on extending F-22 production is not made by March 1, additional funds, already authorized and appropriated by Congress, will be necessary to keep the line open," Grizzle added this week in response to the Pentagon's plans to put off a decision until the 2010 budget is released.
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