FIRST F-22 FLIGHT TEST LOOMING IN GEORGIA.Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services 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. Corp. said the first flight of its F-22 fighter plane is set for Sunday. In a statement, the company said the first production version of the U.S. Air Force's newest radar-evading fighter could fly as early as 8 a.m. Sunday at Dobbins Air Reserve Base Dobbins Air Reserve Base (KMGE) is a U.S. Air Force Reserve base located in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb about 20 miles or 30 kilometers northwest of Atlanta. It serves as the home station of the 94th Airlift Wing and its fleet of Hercules C-130 aircraft, and is the headquarters for in Marietta, Georgia Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia GR6, and is its county seat. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,748, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs. . Maryland-based Lockheed Martin assembles F-22s in Marietta, hometown of House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Seattle's Boeing Co. is the primary subcontractor One who takes a portion of a contract from the principal contractor or from another subcontractor. When an individual or a company is involved in a large-scale project, a contractor is often hired to see that the work is done. . About 750 people are expected to be employed in the test program 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. . The U.S. Air Force expects to spend about $43 billion during the next 20 years for 339 F-22s. Once the plane's airworthiness air·wor·thy adj. air·wor·thi·er, air·wor·thi·est Being in fit condition to fly: an airworthy helicopter; airworthy avionics. is confirmed, it will be flown to Edwards. More advanced tests will be conducted there, focusing on whether the aircraft performs as intended. Two F-22 prototypes were tested at Edwards from 1990 through 1992; one of them was heavily damaged in a crash landing. The latest aircraft is one of nine ``engineering and manufacturing development'' versions that will be used for testing. The first F-22 flight was supposed to have occurred in late May. However, a series of glitches repeatedly postponed it. Those included a problem with electric connectors in the fuel tank, locking brakes, flight software problems, an engine problem and a fuel leak. Known as the Raptor, the F-22 is powered by two United Technologies Corp. engines, each of which produces about 35,000 pounds of thrust. Those engines allow the plane to travel at twice the speed of sound. Each F-22 will carry eight air combat missiles inside its belly, rather than hanging from its wings as is now common. It also will be armed with a 20 millimeter cannon. |
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