This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press April
23, 2001.
By LISA WAHLA
Valley Press Staff Writer
SANTA CLARITA - From a military standpoint, to say President George W. Bush's first few months in office have been eventful would be an understatement.
Highly publicized mishaps have shared headlines with the president's first major foreign policy test, the spy plane drama in China. Add to that list the ongoing bottoms-up review of the armed services and speculation regarding which multibillion-dollar defense programs will earn the commander in chief's go-ahead.
Though the last matter raises uncertainty for the local aerospace industry, U.S. Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon said he's pleased with the slow, thoughtful pace taken by the new president.
"A lot of people thought when the president got in there, the first thing he would do is throw a lot of money at defense," said the Santa Clarita Republican, who serves on the procurement and readiness subcommittees of the Armed Services Committee.
"I think he's making very, very sound business decisions. He's looking at the whole thing - What is our mission, what are we going to be doing and what are our resources to bring to bear."
Part of the "whole thing" Bush is considering are the three major fighter jet programs currently in development, each of which would have some impact on the 25th District: the joint strike fighter, to be used by the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Marines and allies and estimated to cost $750 billion; the Air Force's $62 billion F-22 stealth fighter; and the Navy's $46 billion F/A-18E&F Super Hornet fighter-bomber.
Bush hinted earlier this year that the country might not have money to go forward with them all.
McKeon is closely watching the situation, along with many Antelope Valley aerospace workers who are hoping the joint strike fighter project is OK'd - and built in the AV.
For months, the questions regarding the joint strike fighter project have focused on the questions "which" and "where."
Which company - Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Co. or The Boeing Co. - would win the long-term contract to build the next-generation aircraft and where would it be built? Palmdale is a top contender and could benefit to the tune of 1,500 jobs if Lockheed wins the contract; both companies built their prototypes in Palmdale.
Now, "I don't think it's a matter of where it's going to be built; it's a matter of if it's going to be built," McKeon said.
Some people will be disappointed when Bush releases his defense budget, expected sometime after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld completes his top-to-bottom review.
"But on the other hand I think most people back in Washington really know that it would be very difficult to come up with all the money for all of these three weapons," McKeon said.
The congressman noted his own preference for restarting production of long-range bombers.
McKeon reiterated his desire to fund the production of additional B-2 bombers, which would likely be built by Northrop Grumman at Palmdale's Plant 42. House defense leaders urged Bush to expand the fleet, numbering 21 now, to 61 bombers at a roundtable conference in January.
Ever the Republican, McKeon is confident Bush will make a proper decision. The congressman is pleased with how the new president handled the situation in China, where a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet collided April 1.
China agreed to release the 24 American crew members of the spy plane Wednesday, after Bush expressed sorrow over a Chinese pilot's death and the American plane's landing on Chinese soil without permission.
"Generally, the view of liberals was that the president wasn't up to the job of foreign affairs," said McKeon's spokesman, David Foy. "His handling of this certainly proves them wrong yet again."
The China situation follows a string of unfortunate incidents with the military: a deadly bombing drill in Kuwait, a Navy submarine crashing into and sinking a Japanese fishing boat, a pair of F-16s crashing above Scotland and another crash involving the Marines' V-22 Osprey.
"This is serious business," McKeon said. "When you're training for war, which is what they're doing, there's always a possibility that something could go awry. ... In the last eight years, we've had cuts in defense and that has translated into cuts in readiness."
McKeon came close to - but stopped just short of - blaming former President Bill Clinton for the recent mishaps.
"I'm just saying that we should let people decide where to put the blame themselves, but if you cut the amount of money that you put in defense and then demand more of them, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're going to have problems."