Keeping the F-22 for Jobs

The Hill reports that a variety of senators are already lobbying incoming President Obama on maintaining production of the F-22 fighter. Production is set to wind down over the next few years as currently no more aircraft have been bought. The Bush administration primed the pump by providing a contract to begin purchasing long lead materials for four more aircraft. This has an option in it to buy more if necessary. One of the major argument for keeping the production line open is to keep all those people across the U.S. employed as it certainly affects thousands of people at hundreds of companies. Lockheed Martin and Boeing to the majority of the work on the aircraft but parts and services are bought from companies all over the nation. The Air Force has obviously desired more F-22 but the cost has limited the size of the actual fleet, but this kind of reasoning especially with the large amounts of "bail out" and "stimulous" money being discussed should not be a real consideration. Also unlike many other U.S. program there are currently no FMS sales planned for the F-22 due to concerns on technology transfer to other countries.