Lockheed F/A-22 Jet Wins Approval From Pentagon

The Wall Street Journal 04/01/05
author: Jonathan Karp
author: Andy Pasztor
(Copyright (c) 2005, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)

The Defense Department has approved Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F/A-22 fighter for full production, people familiar with the matter said, giving the stealthy supersonic jet the seal of approval just when the White House is targeting it for budget cuts.

The decision is a critical milestone for the complex and controversial aircraft, which has been under development since the Cold War and whose costs have soared. The green light could provide ammunition for advocates of the F/A-22 ahead of congressional budget votes and a broader Pentagon review of long-term acquisition priorities. That is because the approval by the Defense Acquisition Board, the Pentagon's top procurement panel, is an endorsement of the plane's capabilities as well as Lockheed's ability to produce it at the rate and cost determined by the Air Force.