House panel to hold hearing on fighter jet program

The House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee plans to hold a hearing on Wednesday with senior defense officials on the F-22 Raptor fighter jet.

Last week, the Pentagon announced it would put $50 million toward a down payment for four F-22s. The advanced procurement money would serve as a bridge to keep the F-22 lines open until January to allow the incoming administration to decide whether to procure more of the Lockheed Martin fighters.

The Air Force's plans call for just 183 F-22s, but service officials want as many as 381. The Pentagon has no official plans to continue the F-22 program beyond the 20 planes funded in fiscal 2009.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates did not request any funding for fiscal 2009 to begin shutting down the aircraft's production lines, essentially letting the next administration decide what to do about the program and creating an opening for the aircraft's boosters in Congress to secure funding for additional orders.

Congress appropriated more than $500 million for advanced procurement for F-22s this fiscal year and the Air Force has asked the Pentagon to put $140 million of that money toward the fighters.

This month, House Armed Services Committee leaders wrote Gates urging him to obligate the full $140 million requested by the Air Force.