Posted on 02/14/2009 9:59:40 AM PST by BenLurkin
PALMDALE - Employment at Air Force Plant 42 picked up during the last six months of 2008, thanks primarily to hiring at Northrop Grumman Corp. That hiring trend is expected to continue as the company ramps up development of the Navy's unmanned demonstrator aircraft, the X-47B, and production of the F-35 joint strike fighter.
"We did hit our staffing target last year; however, we're still looking to add another 500 people by the end of the year," Northrop spokesman Jim Hart said.
The Air Force production flight test facility reported employment of 7,039 at the various contractor sites, up from the 6,858 reported for the first six months of 2008.
The figures do not include employees at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility on the adjacent Site 9, owned by Los Angeles World Airports.
Despite the increase in employees, the aggregate payroll dropped to $576.5 million from $580.1 million in the first half of the year.
Locally awarded contracts decreased as well, from $51.7 million to $28 million.
The eight separate production sites that make up the government-owned, contractor-operated facility are home to the major players of the aerospace industry: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., The Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp.
Northrop employs some 2,500 people at its Palmdale Manufacturing Center, which houses five programs: modifications and upgrades to the B-2 stealth bomber; production of the center fuselage of the F-35 joint strike fighter; final assembly of the Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance vehicle; production of target drones; and development of the Navy's X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle.
It is expanding its work force across the board, but the F-35 and X-47B are the largest drivers right now, Hart said.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
Barney Frank has already said they will cut the defense budget.
That is their idea of “fiscal responsibility”. Watch for the congressional hearings on spending abuses in the Pentagon. They are coming, shortly.
Of course, about 50% of Americans will cheer them on.
Could be the Rats are simply traitors. Sure looks that way.
I have considered them traitors for quite awhile. It was proven in the way they treated Petraeus.
Now they are in the position to destroy the US as the world’s superpower and I am sure they will.
Great news! I wish someone could attract commercial air travel and reopen the Palmdale Airport.
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