Senators Side With Industry, Approve Multiyear Raptor

The Senate on June 22 sided with Lockheed Martin Corp. and its F-22A Raptor industry team by approving a multiyear acquisition contract for the increasingly expensive fighter despite criticism by Senate Armed Services Committee leaders and defense acquisition reform advocates.

In a vote of 70-28, senators added an amendment sponsored by Georgian Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) allowing the multiyear to the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill.

Chambliss was able to attract a growing list of colleagues to the amendment, partially due to Lockheed Martin's lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill (DAILY, June 19). At the same time, he rebuked a Government Accountability Office report earlier this week that slammed a multiyear award and questioned further investments in the Raptor, while he asserted that the deal would save taxpayers at least $225 million (DAILY, June 22).

But Sens. John Warner (R-Va.), SASC chairman, John McCain (R-Ariz.), SASC airland subcommittee chairman, and Carl Levin (Mich.), the ranking SASC Democrat, all opposed the bill in the name of maintaining congressional oversight. They also questioned the alleged savings from a multiyear award, especially since the Air Force has asked for $674 million to fully fund it, and noted the program's history of cost increases.

"This amendment is not to cure any delay," said McCain, who nonetheless cited a litany of development problems with the 19-year-old fighter. "This is about congressional oversight.