Investigators question Lockheed fighter programs

Posted on: Mar. 29th, 2006 || Source: business.scotsman.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-22 and F-35 fighter jet programs -- valued at $320 billion (184 billion pounds) together -- faced tough scrutiny by congressional investigators and Republican Sen. John McCain on Tuesday.

McCain held a hearing of a subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where witnesses questioned the Pentagon's plan to change the way it buys the last 60 radar-evading F-22 "Raptors," and whether the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is being rushed into testing before adequate flight testing is done.

McCain also raised concerns about the Bush administration's decision to cancel a second engine for the F-35 next to the one being built by United Technologies Corp. UTX.N unit Pratt & Whitney, saying competition historically helped lower costs.

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