Frank ‘vigorously’ opposed to F-22 fighter

The F-22 Raptor, the most advanced fighter jet in the world, is in a dogfight with a tough adversary: Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

Frank, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, said Tuesday he is “vigorously” opposed to Lockheed Martin’s F-22 fighter jet. Frank has called recent congressional efforts to add more money for the production of the F-22 a “major assault” on President Obama’s efforts to control military spending.

{mosads}Frank is intent on striking $369 million authorized for the procurement of advance materials and items necessary to build 12 additional F-22s. House defense authorizers, in a surprising move, last week narrowly voted to authorize the money for advance procurement of F-22s the Pentagon would buy in 2011. Frank is offering an amendment to the 2010 defense authorization bill that would restore the $369 million in the environmental cleanup accounts. That money was used as an offset to pay for the advanced procurement of F-22 materials.

The Obama administration has decided to stop production of the F-22 after the 187th aircraft is delivered at the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012. Defense industry and congressional sources see the House defense authorizers’ move as symbolic and likely not leading to the purchase of 12 additional F-22s. For that, Congress would have to find more than $2 billion to buy the actual planes.

Frank is not ready to leave it all to chance. He said the debate over the F-22 is a test for the Obama administration and how it will be able to hold its ground on the F-22 decision. If the administration loses on this proposition, it’s going to “fuel” the appetite of F-22 supporters for even more planes in the future.

Frank is girding for a fight on the House floor during the debate over the 2010 defense authorization bill. The House will take up the bill as early as Wednesday. The House Rules committee was going to weed out amendments starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday so it is yet unclear whether Frank’s amendment will survive.

But the warring over more F-22 funding “will be the only combat the F-22 has engaged in or will engage in,” Frank said. The F-22 has not yet been employed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or any other conflict zone.