Lockheed Lobbyists Bystanders in F-22 Vote

After spending big money to promote its F-22 Raptor during the early months of the Obama Administration, prime contractor Lockheed Martin barely lifted a finger to support the plane in last week’s crucial Senate vote. The company decided shortly after defense secretary Robert Gates decided to kill F-22 in April that it was going to support his priorities, since those included protecting all 2,443 F-35 joint strike fighters in the program of record. So other than answering questions from legislators who called, Lockheed’s lobbyists sat on the sidelines glumly watching the Raptor’s demise unfold – not the kind of role they are accustomed to playing.