By Bryan Corliss
Herald Writer
The Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. met Thursday to discuss how Boeing could participate in building Lockheed’s Joint Strike Fighter.
Signs are pointing to Boeing getting at least a piece of subcontracting work on the project, said George Behan, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash.
"That’s the indication he got from talking to Lockheed’s top guy today," Behan said. "Something’s going on."
In Texas, Dain Hancock, president of Lockheed’s aeronautics division, said the company would talk to Boeing "about capabilities from their proposal that they could possibly bring to the program to enhance the value of the JSF team."
On Oct. 26, Pentagon officials announced they had selected Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors to design and develop models of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. and British armed services. Air Force Secretary James Roche called Lockheed "the clear winner" over Chicago-based Boeing.
Presuming it wins the subsequent contract to build 3,000 of the fighters, the award could be worth more than $200 billion to Lockheed and its subcontractors, including Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems.
Boeing and its supporters in Congress have lobbied to split the contract. They say the work must be divided to ensure that both companies remain in the fighter-building business.
Boeing had 400 designers — 300 in Seattle — working on the Joint Strike Fighter, said Jerry Daniels, the chief of Boeing’s military division. Without a project to work on, their skills will deteriorate.
Analysts have said the loser would probably quit the fighter business — a view expressed openly by Lockheed officials before the Pentagon announcement.
Some Texas politicians, however, are opposed to splitting the contract. Some suggested that splitting it would drive up costs and result in an inferior plane.
Boeing officials have made it clear they are interested in working for Lockheed on the aircraft if there’s a significant part for them to play.
And there very well could be, Behan said. Boeing already builds wings and fuselages for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet that Lockheed assembles for the Air Force.
Boeing and Lockheed officials have suggested that a key factor in Lockheed’s victory was its innovative design for a fan shaft that would help the Joint Strike Fighter land and take off like a helicopter. The plane is also capable of supersonic speeds.
The military plans to use the plane to replace fighters used by the Air Force, Navy and Marines, including the A-10, the AV-8 Harrier, the F-16 — currently built in Fort Worth — and the F/A-18.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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