LAST B-2 BOMBER NEAR COMPLETION; PALMDALE PLANT TO SHIFT FOCUS TO MODIFICATIONS.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer Air Force and Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company is the third largest defense contractor for the U.S. workers are putting the 21st and last B-2 stealth bomber through its final tests before delivery, likely signaling the end of the contested production program. Northrop Grumman's 2,500 workers at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 will stay on the job for three more years, modifying earlier versions of the batwinged bomber with more advanced software and other improvements built into the later planes. ``The modification work takes us through the year 2000,'' said Northrop Grumman spokesman Ed Smith. ``We'll be sustaining the Palmdale work force at about the same level.'' The last bomber, referred to by the military as Air Vehicle 21, is on track to be delivered within the next few weeks. Air Force officials would not disclose when the aircraft would be delivered, but said it would be well ahead of the scheduled Jan. 31 delivery date. Of the other 20 aircraft, 11 are at Palmdale for modifications. Eight others are at Whiteman Air Force Base Whiteman Air Force Base (Whiteman AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Johnson County, Missouri, United States. It is near the town of Knob Noster, Missouri. The population was 3,814 at the 2000 census. in Missouri, and one is at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. for flight tests. Modifications for the entire B-2 fleet are scheduled to be completed by the year 2001, Smith said. Beyond that, there will be some maintenance and repair work done for the bombers in Palmdale. Palmdale could be used for any other upgrades the Air Force deems necessary for the bomber, officials said. Congressional supporters of the B-2 say they will try again next year to win funding to reopen re·o·pen tr. & intr.v. re·o·pened, re·o·pen·ing, re·o·pens 1. To open or be opened again: Officials reopened the airport after the snow was cleared. Schools reopen in September. the bomber production line, but with the passage of time the costs of re-starting the line escalate es·ca·late v. es·ca·lat·ed, es·ca·lat·ing, es·ca·lates v.tr. To increase, enlarge, or intensify: escalated the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. v.intr. and the odds of success grow longer. Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, estimated the cost of restarting the B-2 at about $1 billion now and the cost will grow to $3 billion to $4 billion in a year. An attempt to reopen the production line this year was derailed when a joint Senate-House committee opted to let the Clinton administration Noun 1. Clinton administration - the executive under President Clinton executive - persons who administer the law decide whether $331 million earmarked for the B-2 program would be used for reopening Reopening Treasury offerings of additional amounts of outstanding issues, rather than an entirely new issue. A reopened issue will always have the same maturity date, CUSIP number, and interest rate as the original issue. the line or for the already planned upgrades. The Clinton administration is opposed to building more B-2s, saying it would take money away from more important defense programs. |
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