European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 11, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes Friday november 11,1938 Dod unveils not so secret stealth fighter by Norman Black a military writer Washington Baring a poorly kept secret the Pentagon thursday made Public details of a Sec ally Jel fighter thai has been ready Tor five years to slip behind enemy lines in the event of War. Dan Howard inc defense depart ment s chief spokesman said the Sec ally tighter first Lew in Juno 19&i on was declared operational in or Lucr 1983. The air fore Lias urdu red 59 of he planes 32 of hem have already Bee delivered lie said Adang the plane is a single Seal 1 win engine aircraft. The plane which in some respects resembles a Small space shuttle with swept wings and a a Laii was unveiled primarily because the air Force needs to Start lying the plane during Daylight hours if in is to integrate the tighter Squadron s War plans with other units Howard said. The plane has been restricted in the interests of secrecy and National Security to nighttime lying Ever since it was declared operational Howard said. The Sec ally fighter is officially known As he f-i17a," he spokesman continued. It has been operational since october 1983 and is assigned to the 4450th tac group Al Nellis fab Nev. The aircraft is based at inc Tonopah test Range air Field in Nevada Howard and air Force officials while releasing a photo of the plane in flight daily declined to discuss How much the program Cost the plane s dimensions or general capabilities such As Speed its As signed combat role the materials from which i was constructed and inc major subcontractors. The plane is built by the Lockheed corp. At a lightly guarded Plant in Bur Bank Calif the air Force said. Product the photo released by he Pentagon thursday shows futuristic looking nearly but Csc stealth Jet fighter in flight. Lion line workers Al the Lockheed Plant have gone to court with charges they Are being sickened by exposure to dangerous chemicals. The service also acknowledged that three of the planes have crashed. The first production Model of the plan crashed with a Lockheed corp. Pilot at the controls the air Force said. That lest Pilot survived the Accident for which no Date was Given. The second crash occurred on july ii,1986, near Bakersfield Calif and the third on oct. 14. 1987. At Nellis fab the service said. Both pilots died in those  decision to unveil the plane was prompted in part by air Force plans to display publicly its new b-2 stealth bomber on nov. 22, said defense officials who asked not to be named. The bomber has been  More recent and advanced technology than he tighter so there was Little reason to continue to hide the tighter the sources said. Pentagon officials also had conclude that even if they wanted to keep the pro Gram secret upcoming court lights were Likely to shatter Security the sources continued. According to military sources the planes Are kept at a High stale of Readi Ness for use As Aerial Shock troops Ca Pable of slipping behind enemy lines without being detected and creating con fusion with unexpected bombing runs. The picture released by Howard thew a Black or dark Blue metallic aircraft without exterior markings. Unlike the new stealth bomber which is being constructed in the shape of a flying Wing without any Sharp edges the fighter resembles a sleek shuttle with a Small cock pit contained in a nose that Cornet to a Sharp Point. The two engines arc grouped together below the a shaped Tail and arc not Visi ble from the lop or sides. The wine Are swept to the rear and appear to be fixed. From some angles the plane almost looks like a flying sting Ray. The picture suggests the plane has been fabricated with some unusual mate rials but the air Force declined to Dis cuss the matter. Congress May Nof dare raise its pay panel told Washington a Congress May not have inc political courage in takes to approve a pay raise needed for itself judges and top executive Branch employees former Senate Republican Leader Howard baiter said thursday. The pessimistic prediction by Baker also a former chief of Slaff at the Reagan White House came As a presidential commission opened hearings on whether to raise the pay for senior level Federal officials. A m not sure that whatever you do is going to work Baker told the panel known formally As the president s quadrennial commission on executive legislative and judicial salaries. Having Congress vote on its own salary is the Granddaddy conflict of interest of All limes Baker.  -. ,. Congress is Loath to approve pay raises because you be got an electorate that loves to take a bite out of your leg. There s nothing that s closer to Hom Eiban examining l in payoff Public officials. The commission is Likely id endorse higher pay Rales next month and inc raises for members of Congress May be linked to a recommendation thai outside in come Honor aria be  inc salary recommendation is endorsed by presi Dent Reagan when he submits his last budget on Jan. 9,the higher pay Rales would automatically take effect within 30 Days unless both inc House and Senate Pas resolutions of disapproval. By Law the commission meets after each presiden tial election. It Heid a special session in 1986 and rec omme dated that congressional salaries be increase from s77.400 to s135,000, a 74 percent boost. Reagan approved a pay raise lo$89,500, inc current  pay of other top officials is pegged to that level. For example Federal judges arc also paid 189,500,while Federal appeals court judges make 195,000 and supreme court members arc paid $110,700. The chief Justice is paid $115,000. The pay should be raised. Baker said. By setting salary Cap far under private Industry pay rates we have deliberately discouraged America s Best men an women from Public  one of the biggest problems is with judges Accord ing to former chief Justice Warren Burger. Many highly qualified Fine people have decline appointments to Federal courts because they can nuke far More Money in private Legal practice Burge told he panel. There Are very few judges who arc not making Les today than in the last year of their practice even if they have been on the Bench 20, 25 years he  judges appointed at a Young age later resign when they have children in College because they Nee to make More Money he said. He suggested that Federal judges be paid $150,000."this would Stop this Drain of Talent Burger said. Baker agreed. I am Well aware that most americans would not see a $60,000 or $70,000 Job As compelling evidence of a vow of poverty he said. But when a Federal judge makes less Money than a Young attorney just out flaw school it seems to me we have Tum a our values upside  James Miller who resigned two months ago As director of the office of management and budget also called for higher pay.  we Are being Penny Wise and Pound foolish he said by raising pay Scales we would be Able to retain better people inc present pay Scales Are seriously deficient at the upper Levels of government. North s thinking cynical skewed Washington a Oliver a North s Contention that he cannot be prose used Tor lying about his role in the Iran Cohara affair reveals a cynical and skewed attitude toward government judge said thursday. Ours is a country governed by inc Rule of Law. There is nothing in  Tion Federal statutes or applicable Deci Sions whih warrants this cynical a  . District judge Gerhard  he then denied defense motions Lodi Smiss charges that the former National Security Council aide obstructed presi Dent Reagany november 1986 inquiry into the Iran Centra affair by destroying documents and lying to then attorney gun Rol Edwin me Csc  judge Rejch de defense arguments thai forts cannot be prosecuted for lying to Meese because the attorney Gen eral s questioning was not port of a pending proceeding before a govern meal  North is charged with lying when among other things he denied to me Seany National Security Council involve ment in diverting .-Lran arms Sale proceeds to the nicaraguan rebels Gasem dismissed North s Contention thai he had an absolute right to lie to obstruct such binaries and to remove or destroy official Csc records because he had Nai been warned that if be did so height be  the judge also rejected North s Sugges Tion that he cannot be prosecuted because he was not put on notice that criminal stat utes Long in effect would be applied to him if he acted corruptly As alleged. A Csc noted that a desc who was appointed by Reagan to investigate the in Raveling Iron Contra affair summoned North Tor questioning Al the Justice department. .-.-., the court will not give judicial approx vat to the suggestion that he was free in these circumstances to place his. Objections to National policy ahead of the Public Trust he had accepted the judge said. -. Independent counsel Lawrence e. Walsh will need Only to prove at trial  specific questions poled to North by the attorney general were precise and male rial to this legitimate presidential inquiry and that North purposely lied the judg said. North is charged with conspiring wit former National Security adviser John a pm indexer arms dealers Albert Hakim Aiad retired air Force maj. Gen Richard v. Accord to illegally divert .-Lran Arr a sate profits to the nicaraguan rebels. In addition to charges he obstructed the presidential inquiry North is also charged with lying to Congressi 1985and 1986 about his role in giving coven military Aid to the contras no Date has been set for any of the trials ordered by Gesull for each de Pendant