$15 Billion Allotted For Bell, Lockheed Programs

The $460 billion 2008 Defense Appropriations Bill passed last week by Congress includes almost $15 billion for companies such as Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, and American Eurocopter.

In addition to being contractors on major weapons programs, those three companies have operations around Dallas and Fort Worth... which is good news to the North Texas economy, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The bill -- which passed both the House and Senate will only minor changes from Pentagon requests, according to the paper -- includes funding to buy 22 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotors, as well as more F-22 and F-35 fighters, and Army and Marine helicopters.

In one case, the Congressional bill includes more than the Pentagon wanted. The appropriations bill includes $240 million for General Electric and Rolls-Royce, to jointly develop a second powerplant for F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters, which are now powered exclusively by the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan.

Not all the money will go to DFW businesses, of course. Much of the $7 billion allocated for the F-35 Lightning II will go to Lockheed partners Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Pratt & Whitney. The $2.72 billion earmarked for the Osprey will be split between Bell Helicopter, and Boeing's Ridley Park, PA helicopter plant.

Bell also lost a significant chunk of funding for its ARH-70 armed reconnaissance helicopter.

Still, the appropriations bill brings good news for companies like American Eurocopter. The bill includes $230.5 million for the US Army to purchase 44 UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters from EADS North America. The helicopters are built in Mississippi by American Eurocopter, based in Grand Prairie, TX.

Dallas-based Vought Aircraft Industries also received some good news from Congress. Though it isn't a primary contractor on any programs, it does assemble tail sections and ramp doors for the Osprey, as well the horizontal stabilizer for Lockheed's F-22 and wings for the Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance plane at its Dallas plant.

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.com, www.vought.com, www.eurocopterusa.com, www.boeing.com