Oregon Public Broadcasting

One of Oregon’s biggest businesses put its weight behind a campaign Tuesday to keep building the F-22 fighter jet. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates released a budget recently that would stop the construction of the aircraft.

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin is on a nationwide tour to places where parts of the plane are built, letting people know how many jobs it creates.

Dwight Weber of Precision Castparts in Portland says about $4 million worth of the $140 million plane are made locally.

Dwight Weber: “More than 145 highly skilled Oregon jobs are linked to the F-22 program. Continued involvement in such an advanced technology program helps us maintain an employment base that makes us competitive on future programs.”

Secretary Gates wants to stop making about 50 planes as well as several ships and other costly high-tech hardware. 

The F-22 was designed to fight planes of the old Soviet Union.  The Obama Administration has said fighting terrorism calls for a new generation of equipment.