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From: ut-emx!osmigo@cs.utexas.edu
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Problems for Northrop ?
Message-ID: <8656@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 28 Jul 89 02:53:54 GMT
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From: ut-emx!osmigo@cs.utexas.edu ()

[re: problems with Northrop]

There was a report on the Northrop/B2 situation on the ABC News tonight. Some
of the issues are:

1. Cost. Staggering national deficit, homeless people rotting in the streets,
whole forests getting wiped out by acid rain, etc. etc. etc. and here's this
exotic techno-toy costing billions and billions and billions and BILLIONS...

2. Petroiska is causing a diminished political incentive to invest this kind
of money. The way things are going, it's highly, highly unlikely that the
B2, if produced, will ever be used.

3. Northrop apparently hasn't been the epitome of industrial reliability.
They are currently under criminal investigation for suspicious billing
practices. The main gripe against Northrop is that *every single
time* they have contracted for a project:

	a. They have had serious cost overruns.
	b. They have failed to meet deadlines.
	c. The product didn't work.


Doesn't look good for Northrop. I must say, issue #1 above is starting to
have some credibility in my book. Putting an advanced radar in our fighters,
or improving tank armor or air-to-air missles would be one thing, but
THIS........

Ron Morgan
osmigo@emx.utexas.edu