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From: jac@paul.rutgers.edu (Jonathan A. Chandross)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Problems for Northrop ?
Message-ID: <8345@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 17 Jul 89 02:02:18 GMT
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From: jac@paul.rutgers.edu (Jonathan A. Chandross)

willey@arrakis.NEVADA.EDU (Adm. Pavel Chekov)
>	With what looks like the impending rejection of the B-2 by Congress,
>what would happen to Northrop if no order is placed. How much of its own money
>has Northrop invested? With the failure of the F-20 program (political, not
>technical) and if the B-2 fails, will Northrop go out of business? I'd hate
>to see Congress force a defense contractor out of business by making promises
>and backing out at the last moment.

I have seen figures in the NY Times that say that Northrop will be forced to
fire 30,000 employees, and then file for Chapter 11.

This explains some of the reluctance of the Replican members of Congress to 
cancel the program.  

As far as Congress driving them out of business by backing out at the last
minute, this is a load of nonsense.  Northrop did it to themselves.  Carter 
cancelled the program despite *HEAVY* lobbying by Northrop.  Reagan re-instated
the program.  I don't see that this is a weapons system that Congress ever
*really* wanted.  It is more an executive branch and Pentagon brass weapon
that was forced down their throats.

Technology Review has had several articles on the B-2 in the past 6 months
or so.  The most recent issue (I think) had an article on the B-2 and stealth
technology.



Jonathan A. Chandross
Internet: jac@paul.rutgers.edu
UUCP: rutgers!paul.rutgers.edu!jac