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The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH has awarded a pair of contracts to Lockheed Martin Corp. in Fort Worth, TX, related to the Lot 5 & 6 production batches of the fifth-generation F/A-22 Raptor aircraft. The F/A-22 program has been the focus of controversy, cost concerns, Congressional cutbacks, and lessons learned; at the same time, its combination of stealth and super-agility, range, advanced electronics with potential electronic warfare applications, and sustained supersonic flight (aka “supercruise”) places it in a class by itself among the world’s combat aircraft.
F/A-22 Contracts have included:
A $2.99 billion firm-fixed-price contract modification to definitize the Lot 5 acquisition of 24 aircraft (FA8611-04-C-2851). Solicitations began July 2004, negotiations were complete November 2005, and work will be complete November 2007. This new Lot 5 production contract will increase the total number of contracted F/A-22 aircraft to 107. To date, 53 aircraft have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force and 66 have completed final assembly.
The Air Force is flying the F/A-22 Raptor at four bases across the United States and is preparing for Initial Operational Capability in December with the 1st Fighter Wing’s 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, VA.
Which leads us to the second contract, a $160 million firm-fixed-price/ cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification to definitize the FY 2005 production support/ annual sustainment for the F/A-22 Raptor. This effort supports the F/A-22 Lot 5 production aircraft (F33657-97-C-0031). Solicitations began July 2004, negotiations were complete November 2005, and work will be complete by December 2005.
The F/A-22 Raptor is built at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Palmdale, CA; Meridian, MS; Marietta, GA; and Fort Worth, TX, as well as Boeing’s plant in Seattle, WA. The F/A-22 Raptor program also includes 1,000 nationwide suppliers and subcontractors in 42 states. Final assembly and initial flight testing of the Raptor occurs at Lockheed’s Marietta, GA plant facilities.
In its annual Selected Acquisition Reports (SARs) submitted to the Congress for the Sept. 30, 2005, the US Defense Department had no slippages or cost increases to report for the F/A-22, just normal milestone reporting. The SAR was submitted to rebaseline from a Development to a Production Estimate, following the April 2005 approval of Full Rate Production (Milestone III).
On the contractor side, meanwhile, Lockheed notes that their nationwide production team has achieved Lot to Lot cost reductions greater than 10% through Lot 4 production. Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F/A-22 program manager, adds that “…production stride and tempo is high and while there may not be more 10% reductions to achieve Lot to Lot, we’re continuing to focus on cost reductions and efficiency improvements.”
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The third contract begins to prepare for F/A-22 Lot 6 production.
This $39.8 million firm-fixed-price contract modification covers advance materials procurement for 24 Lot 6 aircraft and associated equipment. Work on this contract will be performed at Lockheed Martin Corp. in Marietta, GA and Fort Worth, TX; and at Boeing in Seattle, WA. Negotiations were complete October 2005, and work will be complete November 2005 (FA8611-05-C-2850/ P00006).