Northrop enters the competition to build new U.S./U.K. military fighter.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. Corp. earlier this month entered the competition with three other teams to produce a new military fighter aircraft fighter aircraft Aircraft designed primarily to secure control of essential airspace by destroying enemy aircraft in combat. Designed for high speed and maneuverability, they are armed with weapons capable of striking other aircraft in flight. for the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and United Kingdom. Northrop joins another local contractor, Calabasas-based Lockheed Corp., in the competition for the aircraft project. Other announced teams are headed by McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It merged with Boeing in 1997 to form The Boeing Company. Corp., based in St. Louis, and Boeing Co. in Seattle. Though the competition is still in its early stages, the proposal for the new aircraft could be worth tens of billions of dollars in new business for the winner. Specific figures of how many aircraft might be ordered are unavailable but the potential number reaches into the thousands, said a Pentagon official who did not want to be named. Congress will eventually have to decide whether to appropriate funds to produce the aircraft. The proposed new aircraft is called the Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter The Lightweight Fighter (LWF) Program was a U.S. Air Force technology evaluation program initiated in the 1960s by a cabal of officers and defense analysts known as the "fighter mafia". It was spurred by then Maj. and the preliminary plan calls for two models to be built. One would be a conventional take-off and landing vehicle for the U.S. Air Force. The other model would be for short takeoffs and vertical landings and would be built for the Marine Corps and Navy. The CALF would be a successor military fighter to the existing F-18, F-16 and AV-8, three workhorses of the existing U.S. military air fleet, said a Pentagon official. In addition, the CALF would be a successor to the Sea Harrier harrier, breed of dog harrier, breed of medium-sized hound whose origin is obscure but whose existence in England dates from the 13th cent. It stands from 19 to 21 in. (48.3–53.3 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 40 to 50 lb (18.1–22. , which is used by the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. At this stage, the CALF project is joint program proposal by both the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. A spokesman for Northrop, which is based in Century City, said the proposed aircraft is being designed at the company's advanced technology and design center in Pico Rivera Pico Rivera (pē`kō rĭvĕr`ə), city (1990 pop. 59,177), Los Angeles co., SW Calif., SE of Los Angeles on the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo rivers; inc. 1958 with the union of Pico and Rivera into one community. . In addition, work on the project is being done at the company's facility in Bethpage, N.Y. Northrop Grumman is heading a team that includes Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce plc Rolls-Royce PLC British manufacturer of aircraft engines and propulsion and power systems and, for much of the 20th century, a maker of luxury automobiles. Charles S. . Because the program is only in its early design stage, a Northrop spokesman said he could not discuss many details of the project. "We expect to pursue these opportunities and plan to be a long-term player in the (CALF) program," said Northrop spokesman Ed Smith. If Northrop were to win the contract, the plane would likely be built in the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. area because most of the company's large manufacturing facilities are located in the region. On the other hand, Lockheed has closed down all of its local manufacturing facilities but operates large aircraft assembly plants in Texas and Georgia. A spokesman for the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency said the current design phase will end in March 1996, when the competing contractors will have to submit their proposals. At that point, the Pentagon will award contracts to build prototypes of the aircraft. Based on the performance of the prototypes, the military would then award production contracts. So far, Congress has provided initial funding for the design stage. Congress would also have to approve funding for production, which is the most controversial and expensive part of military projects. |
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