The consolidation of depot
maintenance for the F-22 Raptor at Hill AFB, Utah, will begin this month with
the incremental transfer of work from a Lockheed Martin facility to the Ogden
Air Logistics Complex, the Air Force Materiel Command
announced. The
decision to concentrate all of the Raptor depot modification and heavy
maintenance, currently split between Ogden and Lockheed’s plant at Palmdale,
Calif., is intended to improve efficiency and reduce cost. A comprehensive
business case analysis by the F-22 System Program Office determined the
consolidation could save more than $300 million over the life of the program.
Based on those findings, the program office, Ogden, and Lockheed implemented a
21-month incremental transition plan, which will require improvements at the
ALC, movement of support equipment, and hiring of about 200 new workers at
Ogden. The consolidation “will create greater efficiency in the F-22 program by
allowing the Air Force to cost effectively maintain the F-22 and ensure this
critical front-line weapon system is readily available to the warfighter,” said
Maj.
Gen. H. Brent Baker Sr., Ogden ALC commander. Ogden will add six production
lines, with the first opening this month, and will reach full capacity in
February 2015.