F-22 production in Marietta could be in jeopardy

Japan reportedly won’t purchase any Marietta-built fighter jets, a development that could jeopardize production of the supersonic plane and 2,000 jobs in Cobb County.

McClatchy Newspapers reported Sunday that Japan’s Defense Ministry won’t buy any F-22 Raptors built by Lockheed Martin in Marietta and Texas.

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TSgt Ben Bloker/U.S. Air Force

Lockheed’s F-22 is produced in Marietta and Texas.

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The stealth fighter faced production uncertainty even before Japan’s supposed dismissal of the plane. President-elect Barack Obama is considering halting or reducing production of the planes, which cost anywhere from $137 million to $300 million.

A Lockheed Martin spokesman wouldn’t comment on Japan’s relationship with the F-22.

“The Foreign military sale of any U.S. weapons system is a matter of policy determined by the government of the United States (and) is subject to Congressional approval,” Rob Fuller said via email.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said he wasn’t aware that Japan would forego the fighter.

“Obviously, if there was a threat to the F-22, it would be a severe blow to Lockheed,” he added.

Japan is reportedly considering buying other fighter jets to replace its aging F-15 fleet, including the F-35 Lightning II, produced by the United States, Britain and other countries, and the F-15FX built in the United States. The Defense Ministry is also considering the Eurofighter Typhoon produced in Europe.

The F-22 can cruise at 1,100 miles an hour and destroy air and ground targets while remaining virtually undetectable to radar. Its price tag, though, puts the F-22 squarely in the Obama administration’s budget-scouring sights.

U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, the Marietta Republican whose district includes the massive Lockheed Martin factory, said the nation’s defense should trump Washington’s newly tight-fisted ways.

“There are plenty of naysayers, who maybe don’t feel we need to have air superiority,” he said. “I would respectfully, totally, disagree with them.”