FIGHTER WORK SET TO START IN PALMDALE; AIR FORCE PLANT 42 TO BE SITE OF JSF PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer Boeing will have 200 people working in Palmdale by summer on two prototypes of a new multiservice jet fighter Jet fighter may refer to:
Boeing expects its peak employment of 200 people on the Joint Strike Fighter A strike fighter is a fighter aircraft which is also capable of attacking surface targets, including ships. It differs from an attack aircraft in that the aircraft remains a capable fighter. to last through 1999, the program manager told Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley civic leaders Tuesday. ``We're starting to bring people on board,'' said Frank Statkus, Boeing vice president and JSF (JavaServerFaces) A standard framework of components for building rich user interfaces for Java applications. JavaServer Faces run on the server, but are displayed on the client. JSF - JavaServer Faces program manager. ``Facility preparation is taking place.'' Statkus briefed Antelope Valley officials on Boeing's JSF efforts at a gathering at Air Force Plant 42, in the same assembly complex where the space shuttles The term Space Shuttles refers to partly or fully reusable launch vehicles for regularly placing payloads into low earth orbit. See:
Boeing is competing with Lockheed Martin for a contract to build up to 3,000 JSF aircraft for the U.S. armed services The Constitution authorizes Congress to raise, support, and regulate armed services for the national defense. The President of the United States is commander in chief of all the branches of the services and has ultimate control over most military matters. and for the British Royal Navy. Lockheed Martin Skunk skunk, name for several related New World mammals of the weasel family, characterized by their conspicuous black and white markings and use of a strong, highly offensive odor for defense. Works is assembling two prototypes in Palmdale. Lockheed Martin has said it expects to establish its production line in Texas if it wins the contract. Boeing has not decided where its production line will be. Boeing's JSF prototype work force will include many employees from the B-1B bomber program in Palmdale, as well as workers from Seal Beach, Seattle and St. Louis. The Palmdale work force will perform the final assembly work on the two prototypes. ``It's a great opportunity for the work force in the Antelope Valley to point out what they can do,'' Runner said. Assembly work in Palmdale will involve the integration and checkout of the fuselage, and mating of the fuselage, wing and tail assemblies. Initial flight testing will also be conducted. The aircraft will later go to Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. for further flight tests. Both aircraft will be shipped eventually to the Navy's flight test center in Maryland for additional testing. The prototype concept demonstration phase will run through 2001. Boeing will build an A-model prototype to demonstrate characteristics for Air Force and Navy aircraft, including conventional takeoff and landings and aircraft carrier needs, and a B model that will demonstrate short-takeoff and vertical-landing characteristics for the Marine Corps and the Royal Navy. Statkus said Palmdale was selected because it has the resources the program needs, including a shop capability to make any parts that might be required; its proximity to Edwards; and because it was ``the most competitive site in our inventory.'' Public officials welcomed Boeing's decision to do the final assembly work in Palmdale and pointed to the region's rich aviation history as a prime reason for the production line to be located there. ``We love sonic booms. Let them happen,'' said Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts. ``We are in the aerospace business and we intend to stay.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Drawing PHOTO (1--Color in AV Edition only) From left, Plant 42 commander Robert Catlin and Boeing executives Frank Statkus and Les Lackman check out a model of the Joint Strike Fighter. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News (2--Color in AV Edition only) Frank Statkus Details Boeing's Palmdale Plans DRAWING: (Color in AV edition only) The Joint Strike Fighter conducts a high-level bombing run in this artist's rendering. Prototypes of the JSF are to be built in Palmdale. Boeing Defense & Space Group |
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