Shipbuilder Promotes Supplier Park Concept

Northrop Grumman officials want to move forward with plans to develop a supplier park on vacant land next to its Pascagoula (Mississippi) shipyard following the plans unveiled earlier this year to entice the shipbuilder's major suppliers to set up shop on the 130-acre East Bank at Ingalls Shipyard. The company said bringing Northrop's suppliers closer to the shipyard would keep the defense contractor competitive at a time when the Navy is scaling back orders.

It has been said companies such as MTU, L3 Communications, BAE, Raytheon, Rolls Royce and General Electric have expressed interest in establishing themselves in the park, but no firm commitments have been made. The companies Northrop hopes to attract to Pascagoula produce marine gas turbines, electrical systems, power panels, switching gear generators, combat systems, radars and communications equipment.