Dark project brightens Northrop outlook: aerospace firm reported developing secret recon plane.

Dark project brightens Northrop outlook

Aerospace firm reported developing secret recon plane

Two weeks ago, industry experts and watchers were predicting rough times for Century City-based Northrop Corp.

Now, suddenly, Northrop may have more work than anyone expected.

According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, Northrop is developing a super-secret reconnaissance aircraft that can be used as a support plane for the F-117A fighter or the B-2 bomber; the latter is another project of the defense contractor.

The magazine, a respected journal of the aviation and defense industries, said in its June 10 edition that between 25 and 30 of the TR-3A, or Black Manta, aircraft could be put into service.

The article did not disclose or speculate about revenues for TR-3A development and Northrop Corp. declined to comment on the report. In its 1990 annual report, Northrop acknowledged $657 million in "other" revenues, down from $915 million in 1989.

A Northrop spokesman, Ron Owens, said the "other" revenues were from both classified and unclassified projects. He declined further comment.

The article coincided with the Defense Department disclosure June 6 of a $15 billion weapons program to develop a stealth cruise missile. The Pentagon said Northrop is the main contractor on the missile, which has been under development by the company for five years.

The Pentagon also said it wants to buy 8,650 of the radar-evading missiles that will be armed with conventional weapons and will cost $1.7 million each to make.

The disclosure of the missile program and the possibility of a second major secret project at Northrop could change the financial fortunes of the company, which earlier this year lost a major contract to Calabasas-based Lockheed Corp. for development of the Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter, now known as the F-22.

Prior to the disclosures, industry analysts said the loss of the ATF contract had put Northrop in the precarious financial predicament of not having enough major military projects. Last year, Northrop had revenues of about $5.4 billion but more than half its sales were from the B-2 program, a controversial project that Congress has threatened to cancel.

Other major Northrop projects include subcontracting work on the F/A-18 and 747 commercial aircraft. In 1989, Northrop had total revenues of $5.2 billion.

The Aviation Week article, which did not cite any sources for its story, said the TR-3A is a triangular-shaped aircraft that will be used for reconnaissance work in support of the F-117A.

"Several TR-3As are believed to have been deployed temporarily to Alaska, Britain, Panama and Okinawa. More recently, they are believed to have supported F-117A operations in the Persian Gulf War," the magazine said.

The fleet of the single-pilot aircraft could eventually be based in Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and in Tonapah, Nev., the magazine said.

The TR-3A is based on a Northrop concept of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed by the defense contractor in the mid-1970s, the magazine said.

"For years it has been suspected that a closely held aircraft such as a TR-3A existed, although its designation and mission were unclear. The classified reconnaissance aircraft has been observed flying at night with multiple F-117As near Edwards Air Force Base since 1989.

"A triangular vehicle operating during daylight hours near Tehachapi, Calif., in May 1990 also closely matched descriptions of the TR-3A. Initially, the delta-shaped aircraft was thought to be a Navy A-12 prototype or proof-of-concept vehicle," the magazine said.

The TR-3A could be the second secret reconnaissance aircraft under development or production in Los Angeles County.

There has been speculation that Lockheed is developing a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft as a successor to its SR-71. Lockheed and the Pentagon has declined to comment on the existence of such a project.