metro
03-25-2008, 07:47 AM
Northrop Grumman expects boost in work force to maintain tankers
By JaRena Lunsford
Business Writer
Although Northrop Grumman Corp. has had an Oklahoma City office for more than a decade, the California-based aviation company's Oklahoma operations have remained low-key.
Ever since the U.S. Air Force's Feb. 29 decision to award Northrop Grumman a $40 billion contract to build a new aerial tanker, Northrop is in the spotlight as observers try to get a better look at the company responsible for the nation's newest military tanker.
Stew Scannell, Northrop's site manager at Tinker Air Force Base, said the company has been purposefully low-key.
"What we are aware of is that we are kind of quiet in our presence, Scannell said.
The tanker contract seems to have temporarily broken that quietness, giving Northrop the opportunity to show what it's been doing and plans to do in Oklahoma.
The company opened its first Oklahoma City office in 1997. The staff of seven had the responsibility of supporting the software maintenance and development for the B-2 stealth bomber.
More than a decade later, Northrop has 550 employees in Oklahoma City, with 320 of those workers on the B-2 program.
Northrop may have seemed silent to the public, but state and city leaders knew the building at 6401 S Air Depot was anything but quiet.
Robin Roberts, executive vice president of economic development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said Northrop has been an important piece of the state's cluster of aviation companies.
"They are probably in the top third of our companies in regards to wages, Roberts said.
Northrop is in the early phases of planning the establishment of information technology call centers around the United States, Scannell said. He said Oklahoma City is one of the locations being considered for a center. Northrop hopes to have 10 centers over the next five years.
"This is a brand new approach to doing business, Scannell said of the centers. The centers would employ several hundred people, he said.
Although Northrop Grumman has seen a lot of growth since it opened its Oklahoma operations, Scannell said it was not initially clear whether a move away from California's Silicon Valley would be successful for the company.
"We weren't sure if we'd be able to attract the right software engineers and retain them, but what we've found has been the opposite, Scannell said.
He said the company found an Oklahoma work force that understands what aviation brings to the community.
Northrop's work on the B-2 bomber has enabled the company to continue growing its work force.
"We're putting new satellite capabilities on the aircraft and that work has resulted in us hiring new engineers, Scannell said.
Northrop has hired 25 engineers in the last year and expects to hire 25 this year.
The B-2 is not the only aircraft increasing Northrop's Oklahoma work force. The multibillion-dollar Air Force contract, which Northrop won along with its partner, Airbus maker European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., will bring more jobs and work to Tinker Air Force Base.
"Ultimately were expecting somewhere between 300 and 500 jobs once the tanker comes through here for maintenance, Scannell said.
The KC-45A tanker will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., but Scannell said Oklahoma will play an important role in the new tanker's operation.
"We recognize Tinker is the tanker logistics center, he said. "Jobs were coming to Oklahoma no matter which competitor won.
The Air Force chose Northrop and EADS over The Boeing Co. for the tanker contract.
Northrop spokesman Tim Paynter said the tanker program will have a $20 million annual impact on Oklahoma.
Northrop's partnership with a European company on the tanker program is not an indication the tanker project is being outsourced overseas, Paynter said. Instead, it's supporting American workers.
"We are the prime contractor, Paynter said of Northrop Grumman.
Northrop expects the Air Force's tanker program to create 48,000 jobs nationwide, Paynter said.
"We are creating jobs in the U.S., he said.
By JaRena Lunsford
Business Writer
Although Northrop Grumman Corp. has had an Oklahoma City office for more than a decade, the California-based aviation company's Oklahoma operations have remained low-key.
Ever since the U.S. Air Force's Feb. 29 decision to award Northrop Grumman a $40 billion contract to build a new aerial tanker, Northrop is in the spotlight as observers try to get a better look at the company responsible for the nation's newest military tanker.
Stew Scannell, Northrop's site manager at Tinker Air Force Base, said the company has been purposefully low-key.
"What we are aware of is that we are kind of quiet in our presence, Scannell said.
The tanker contract seems to have temporarily broken that quietness, giving Northrop the opportunity to show what it's been doing and plans to do in Oklahoma.
The company opened its first Oklahoma City office in 1997. The staff of seven had the responsibility of supporting the software maintenance and development for the B-2 stealth bomber.
More than a decade later, Northrop has 550 employees in Oklahoma City, with 320 of those workers on the B-2 program.
Northrop may have seemed silent to the public, but state and city leaders knew the building at 6401 S Air Depot was anything but quiet.
Robin Roberts, executive vice president of economic development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said Northrop has been an important piece of the state's cluster of aviation companies.
"They are probably in the top third of our companies in regards to wages, Roberts said.
Northrop is in the early phases of planning the establishment of information technology call centers around the United States, Scannell said. He said Oklahoma City is one of the locations being considered for a center. Northrop hopes to have 10 centers over the next five years.
"This is a brand new approach to doing business, Scannell said of the centers. The centers would employ several hundred people, he said.
Although Northrop Grumman has seen a lot of growth since it opened its Oklahoma operations, Scannell said it was not initially clear whether a move away from California's Silicon Valley would be successful for the company.
"We weren't sure if we'd be able to attract the right software engineers and retain them, but what we've found has been the opposite, Scannell said.
He said the company found an Oklahoma work force that understands what aviation brings to the community.
Northrop's work on the B-2 bomber has enabled the company to continue growing its work force.
"We're putting new satellite capabilities on the aircraft and that work has resulted in us hiring new engineers, Scannell said.
Northrop has hired 25 engineers in the last year and expects to hire 25 this year.
The B-2 is not the only aircraft increasing Northrop's Oklahoma work force. The multibillion-dollar Air Force contract, which Northrop won along with its partner, Airbus maker European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., will bring more jobs and work to Tinker Air Force Base.
"Ultimately were expecting somewhere between 300 and 500 jobs once the tanker comes through here for maintenance, Scannell said.
The KC-45A tanker will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., but Scannell said Oklahoma will play an important role in the new tanker's operation.
"We recognize Tinker is the tanker logistics center, he said. "Jobs were coming to Oklahoma no matter which competitor won.
The Air Force chose Northrop and EADS over The Boeing Co. for the tanker contract.
Northrop spokesman Tim Paynter said the tanker program will have a $20 million annual impact on Oklahoma.
Northrop's partnership with a European company on the tanker program is not an indication the tanker project is being outsourced overseas, Paynter said. Instead, it's supporting American workers.
"We are the prime contractor, Paynter said of Northrop Grumman.
Northrop expects the Air Force's tanker program to create 48,000 jobs nationwide, Paynter said.
"We are creating jobs in the U.S., he said.