F-22 Testing Behind; GAO Suggests Funding Delay

Flight tests of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-22 stealth fighter are falling far enough behind schedule that Congress should examine whether to slow approval of production money for the most expensive U.S. weapons program, the General Accounting Office said Tuesday.

Technical and manufacturing problems during development are reducing the number of flight test hours for what the Defense Department sees as its top radar-evading, 21st-century fighter. The delay comes as Congress considers the first major chunk of production money--$800 million in the proposed budget for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.

On the plus side, the Air Force and contractor team can develop the aircraft within an $18-billion congressional cost cap, the congressional auditing agency said.

The report will get much attention this year because it marks the first of a yearly congressional review of the F-22.

“The primary issue at this point of the program is that they are having schedule problems, getting all the components together and all aircraft delivered. The ones they have don’t have very many flight test hours,” GAO analyst Robert Murphy said.

“Delayed tests reduce the amount of actual F-22 performance information that will be available [to Congress] to support Air Force plans to begin production in fiscal year 1999,” the report said.

Lockheed spokesman Ray Crockett had no immediate comment, saying he had yet to see the report.

Lockheed Martin shares fell $3.56 to close at $112.44 on the New York Stock Exchangegmcq., the second consecutive day of decline since the Justice Department signaled opposition to the company’s proposed merger with Northrop Grumman Corp.

Lockheed’s F-22 contractor team includes Boeing Co., United Technologies Corp.’s Pratt & Whitney Large Military Engines unit and Northrop Grumman. The F-22 is assembled in Marietta, Ga.

Lockheed spokeswoman Ray Crockett had no immediate comment, saying he had yet to see the report.