NORTHROP SEEKS TO BORROW BOEING WORKERS.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer 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. is discussing an unusual worker swap with Boeing North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. that would allow the B-2 maker to meet a surge in its workload while keeping 50 space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. workers out of the unemployment line. Northrop Grumman, which employs about 2,800 people at its B-2 stealth stealth Any military technology intended to make vehicles or missiles nearly invisible to enemy radar or other electronic detection. Research in antidetection technology began soon after radar was invented. bomber bomber Military aircraft designed to drop bombs on surface targets. Aerial bombardment can be traced to the Italo-Turkish War (1911), in which an Italian pilot dropped grenades on two Turkish targets. production plant in Palmdale, is looking to boost its employment to modify seven B-2 stealth bombers finished early in the production run to match improvements incorporated into later aircraft. ``To that end, Northrop Grumman is in discussions with Boeing regarding loaned employment of approximately 50 of their orbiter program employees who might otherwise be slated for unemployment,'' said Northrop Grumman spokesman Ed Smith. Overall, Northrop Grumman expects to add 100 to 150 workers. Aside from the 50 borrowed from Boeing, the others would be new hires and employees transferred from elsewhere in the corporation. The new employees will be performing mechanical, electrical, surface preparation and painting work on the bat-wing aircraft. If an agreement can be reached, it would spare some Boeing space shuttle workers from being laid off when modification work on the orbiter Endeavour is completed this spring. In January, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), civilian agency of the U.S. federal government with the mission of conducting research and developing operational programs in the areas of space exploration, artificial satellites (see satellite, artificial), announced that Boeing would modify the orbiter Atlantis in Palmdale. However, the orbiter won't come to Palmdale until after it completes a mission scheduled for September. Atlantis is expected to arrive in Palmdale in November. The company expects to furlough fur·lough n. 1. a. A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces. b. A usually temporary layoff from work. c. about 220 workers between the completion of Endeavour and the arrival of Atlantis, said Boeing North American spokesman Alan Buis. Northrop Grumman officials have suggested borrowing the shuttle workers through Oct. 1, but the companies also are discussing provisions that would allow the workers to stay on the B-2 jobs longer, by mutual agreement of both companies. ``This is the first time we have done something like this,'' Buis said. There are about 600 people employed by the space shuttle program in Palmdale. About half are employed to perform modifications to shuttles. The other half of the work force manufactures shuttle parts. |
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