Posted on 08/01/2007 10:22:06 AM PDT by nypokerface
MARIETTA, Ga., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin announced Tuesday it has won a new $5 billion order from the U.S. Air Force to build 60 more F-22 Raptor fighters.
The total value of the company's contract with the USAF is now worth $7.3 billion. The aircraft will be built through 2011 "at a rate of 20 per year, with deliveries starting in late 2008," Lockheed Martin said in a statement.
"The multi-year contract allows us to generate savings for the taxpayer and continue to deliver the most capable aircraft in the world to the men and women defending our nation," said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics executive vice president and F-22 program general manager. "We have worked with our industry partners and the Air Force to make this a win-win for everyone. The F-22 provides a revolutionary capability that will help to deter aggression for the next four decades."
The USAF has now ordered 183 F-22 Raptors. "According to the U.S. Air Force and verified by a recent RAND Corporation study, the multi-year contract is estimated to save approximately $400 million over Lots 7, 8 and 9 (60 aircraft), compared to a corresponding annual procurement program. This equates to a savings of $6.85 million per aircraft," Lockheed Martin said.
"To date, 105 Raptors have completed final assembly at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga. So far, 99 Raptors have been delivered to the Air Force. Raptors are built at a rate of approximately two per month," it said.
Lockheed Martin noted that the F-22 was being built with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney. Parts and subsystems for the aircraft are produced by nearly 1,000 other companies in 44 U.S. states. "F-22 production takes place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Marietta, Ga.; Fort Worth, Tex.; Palmdale, Calif.; and Meridian, Miss., as well as at Boeing's plant in Seattle, Wash. Final assembly and initial flight testing of the Raptor occur in Marietta," the statement said.
I’ve been waiting for mine, but the 22” chrome rims were out of stock and they had to order them special.
Check it out...........
http://www.f22-raptor.com/
I really am glad to see the AF ordering these in significant numbers. The numbers are still low, but hopefully will increase in the outyears. I was afraid that would pull a B-2 with this plane: plan to buy hundreds, then buy only 20. Given the long acquisition cycle (20+ years), its nuts to buy just a handful.
I prefer the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt since it allows me to cruise the border at low speeds.
ping?
LOL, awesome!
just under $40 million per aircraft
They’re still building the F-22A. Everyone knows that the A model of any fighter is a dog.
I’m waiting for the F-22D before I jump in.
This should keep the line open until technology develops to the point where the plane will be ready for the export market.
Good news for the country, better news for LM.
Sweet. As long as the assembly lines stay open, we can always build more. =:-)
How can you afford the ammo for that thing?
Excellent.
$5 Bil/60 aircraft = $83.3 Million per aircraft
Ditto for any Russian trouble-making.If you ask me we have never ended the cold war and we are headed toward some big trouble.
Our opposition likes the fact that our military is busy,though I think they underestimate our capabilities and over estimate their own.
The total value of the company’s contract with the USAF is now worth $7.3 billion.
The USAF has now ordered 183 F-22 Raptors.
$7.3 BILLION / 183 aircraft = $39,890,710 per aircraft
I thought this was a $5 bill contract. We didn’t build the first 123 F-22’s for $2.3 Billion, did we? I really don’t know.
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