F-117 STUDY APPROVED\McKeon says aircraft project could generate 5,000 jobs in A.V.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Daily News Staff Writer

This year's federal defense budget includes $25 million to study whether Lockheed's F-117 stealth fighter can be modified into a Navy version able to take off and land on aircraft carriers.

If the study overcomes past Navy reluctance to use the Air Force stealth fighter, the new production contract for Lockheed Martin would be a boon for the Antelope Valley, said U.S. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, who is pushing the plan.

"They committed to me they would build it in the Antelope Valley, if they build it," said McKeon, R-Santa Clarita. "It would be the best thing that would happen to the Antelope Valley. It would be about 5,000 jobs."

The 59 F-117s were built during the 1980s in Burbank, where the Skunk Works was located before Lockheed moved it to Palmdale and merged with Martin Marietta. The planes cost $42.6 million each; no figure has been made public on what a Navy version might cost.

While the Navy in the past has not looked kindly on adapting the Air Force's stealth fighter for its use, the assistant secretary of the Navy - the department's No. 3 official - is a retired Air Force general who was instrumental in the F-117 surviving Pentagon opposition, said McKeon.

If the Navy develops its own radar-evading small bomber - after its previous attempt, the A-12, was canceled five years ago - it could take 15 years longer and cost billions more than converting the F-117 to Navy use, McKeon said.

As now envisioned, the Navy version - called the A/F-117X - would have folding wings to enable it to fit better in the tight quarters of carriers, stronger landing gear to withstand rough carrier landings, and a bigger tail, among other changes, according to Lockheed and government officials.

Navy spokesman Lt. Joe Walker said the Navy has not yet set the guidelines or timetable for the study.

Even the $25 million study is far less than A/F-117X proponents had asked Congress to appropriate. A Senate version of the defense bill contained an additional $150 million to build a flying prototype, but that money wasn't included in the final authorization bill signed by President Clinton.

In addition, the final bill says any portion of the $25 million the Navy doesn't spend will be available for use in the Joint Advanced Strike Technology program, aimed at developing the next generation fighter/attack jet for the Navy and the Air Force.

"Initially the Navy has been pretty reluctant" to adapt the F-117, said Greg Campbell, an aide to McKeon, "They don't want anything to upset JAST. I think there's a faction in the Navy that sees the F-117 as basically mucking that up."

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Photo (color in AV edition only) Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon is pushing for a production contract to modify F-117 stealth fighters at Lockheed Martin in Palmdale.