FIGHTERS MAY FLY WITHIN MONTH JOINT STRIKE PROGRAMS PROGRESS.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer PALMDALE - Boeing and Lockheed Martin For the former company, see . Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading multinational aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. say the first flights are nearing for their 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. prototypes. Lockheed Martin workers are running the jet engines on their fighter and anticipate moving into taxi tests on Air Force Plant 42's runways. First flights could come as soon as later this month or early September, a spokesman said. ``Everyone seems to be happy with how the tests are going,'' said Lockheed Martin spokesman John Kent. ``We're looking forward to getting it into the air.'' Boeing has completed low- and medium-speed taxi tests on its first fighter at Plant 42 and high-speed taxi tests are imminent, an official said. A Boeing spokesman declined to say when the aircraft is anticipated to make its first flight. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are vying vy·ing v. Present participle of vie. vying vie for what is being called the largest production program in aviation history - a program potentially worth $750 billion over its lifetime. The Pentagon is planning to buy more than 3,000 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 aircraft to replace the Air Force F-16, the Navy F/A-18 and the Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier harrier, breed of dog harrier, breed of medium-sized hound whose origin is obscure but whose existence in England dates from the 13th cent. It stands from 19 to 21 in. (48.3–53.3 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 40 to 50 lb (18.1–22. . The British Royal Navy and other U.S. allies are also interested in acquiring the jet. Each company is building two prototypes for the competition - all of them at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. Flight testing will be conducted at 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. . A decision as to which company will win the competition will be made in spring or summer 2001. CAPTION(S): 2 photos KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Joint strike fighter prototypes by Boeing, left, and Lockheed, right, are built at Plant 42. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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