Rockwell International Seeks Space Shuttle Pact : Aviation: Contractor will compete with other major players to design the next generation of craft. Deal could total $660 million through fiscal 1999.

Rockwell International Corp. confirmed Wednesday that it will compete against Lockheed Corp. and the team of Boeing Co. and McDonnell Douglas Corp. to design the successor to the space shuttle.

Rockwell has been the lead contractor for the space shuttle since the program began in 1972.

Rockwell officials have spoken with several major aerospace companies about teaming to bid on the program, said Alan Buis, a spokesman for Rockwell Space Systems in Downey. He would not identify the other companies.

The program, which initially calls for a 13-month contract, is potentially worth $660 million through fiscal 1999 if one space-launch vehicle is built, said Jim Cast, spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The X-33, NASA’s code name for the project, is an effort to develop a less-expensive replacement for the space shuttle. The contract is to evaluate technologies and develop design concepts for NASA.

On Tuesday, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, rivals in the commercial jetliner market, announced that they will compete for the program together.

Lockheed Corp. also said it will bid on the program, heading a team that includes Martin Marietta Corp., Rockwell’s Rocketdyne division and Rohr Industries Inc. A proposed merger of Lockheed and Martin is pending federal approval.

The Rocketdyne division, which builds rocket engines, plans to bid both with Lockheed and Rockwell, a spokesman said.

If NASA continues with development and initial production awards, the X-33 could be operating by about 2004.

Separately Wednesday, Rockwell said it has won a contract worth as much as $200 million to supply the avionics systems for a new Czech fighter jet.

The project will begin with a 33-month prototype phase valued at $20 million. A 72-aircraft production phase would follow.

As the prime contractor, Rockwell Aerospace will design and install the systems for the L-159 combat aircraft being developed by Aero Vodochody.

Allied Signal Inc. said it will produce some of the system’s electronic parts.

Work on the project will be performed at Rockwell’s North American Aircraft Modification Division in Anaheim and at the Aero Vodochody plant in Vodochody, Czech Republic.