Tag Archives: lockheed

Lockheed Still Building F-16s, 40 Years On

In 2012, Lockheed Martin delivered the last F-22 off its assembly line, a mere 9 years after the first delivery of a production F-22 in 2003. The original F-22 buy plan had been 750 aircraft. The number eventually dwindled to less than 200 — with each reduction resulting in per-unit increase in cost.

By contrast, the first F-16 was delivered to the Air Force in 1979 (after the first test flight in 1974). As noted in a local paper (and repeated at the Stars and Stripes), Lockheed (who bought General Dynamics) is still churning out the F-16 after more than 4,500 have been delivered worldwide.

It is worth remembering that while technology Read more

F-22 Builders Settle Lawsuit with Pilot’s Widow

Anna Haney, the widow of F-22 Raptor pilot Capt Jeff Haney, filed a lawsuit in March against the contractors responsible for building the F-22: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Honeywell, and Pratt and Whitney.  They have reportedly settled out of court in a sealed result:

According to court documents, Anna Haney, wife of pilot Capt. Jeff Haney, agreed to a binding settlement…after a meeting Aug. 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The settlement terms Read more

F-22 Pilots Refuse to Fly, Seek Whistleblower Status

While the widow of Capt Jeff Haney sues the Air Force, two other pilots appeared on the CBS show 60 Minutes with a Congressman, seeking military whistleblower status to publicize their complaints against the F-22.

Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Joshua Wilson have chosen to stop flying the F-22 because they say during some flights they and other pilots have experienced oxygen deprivation, disorientation, and worse…

They are so concerned they have taken the extraordinary step of risking their careers by appearing on 60 Minutes in uniform — and without permission — to blow the whistle on a plane they love to fly…

The pilots could face further disciplinary action for speaking to us which is why this man was seated just off to the side throughout the interview. He’s Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, an Air Force pilot himself, who Josh and Jeremy went to with their concerns in order to gain protection under the Military Whistleblowers Act.

The Air Force had only recently acknowledged that a “small number” of pilots Read more

F-22 Pilot’s Widow Sues Lockheed, Boeing

The widow of Capt Jeff Haney, killed in the November 2010 crash of an F-22 in Alaska, is suing the contractors who built the plane — which includes Lockheed, Boeing, Honeywell, and Pratt & Whitney.

It states that the aircraft was sold with known defective on-board oxygen generating system, bleed air system and other life support systems. “The life support systems of the F-22 Raptor aircraft were and are completely and wholly inadequate,” the lawsuit states.

In the mishap that keeps coming back to the Air Force, the IG recently Read more

General Says Air Force Did Not Fault Crash Pilot, Despite Report

The Air Force Times notes that in Congressional testimony, Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz said the Air Force did not blame Capt Jeff Haney, pilot of the F-22 that crashed in Alaska — despite the public report apparently to the contrary.

Schwartz [said] the Air Force did not blame Capt. Jeff Haney for the…crash in Alaska, despite the service’s own report that said Haney was at fault.

“We did not assign blame to the pilot,” Schwartz said Read more

Inspector General to Review Alaska F-22 Crash Report

The Pentagon IG is reportedly reviewing the Accident Investigation Board from the November 2010 crash that killed F-22 pilot Capt Jeffrey Haney in Alaska.  The crash was attributed to pilot error.

An IG official wrote that the agency will “focus on the adherence of the AIB to the procedures set forth in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 51-503…

“Our assessment will also verify that AIB conclusions are supported by evidence of record consistent with standards of proof established by AFI 51-503,” he wrote.

While some reports of the investigation last fall expressed skepticism Read more

Air Force says F-22 Crash was Pilot Error

The Air Force Times reports on the Air Force investigation of the F-22 crash in Alaska in November, 2010.  The report

blames the Nov. 16, 2010, crash of an F-22 Raptor on Capt. Jeff “Bong” Haney — despite a malfunction of the jet’s bleed air intakes, which caused an automatic shutdown of multiple aircraft systems including the primary oxygen system.

In essence, the report says his oxygen system failed, but that he Read more