Article: The Pentagon Is About To Waste $1.5 Trillion On The 'Flying Piano' F-35

"Low cost solution" wil take up 38% of the Pentagon' budget.

The Pentagon Is About To Waste $1.5 Trillion On The 'Flying Piano' F-35 - Business Insider

Motivation Killers: 9 Things You Should Never Ask Employees | Inc.com

Motivation Killers: 9 Things You Should Never Ask Employees to Do

Here's a article from Jeff Haden on how to kill motivation. If I recall correctly, Northrop Grumman management committed only 7 of the 9 in my experience.

1. Pressure employees to attend "social" events.

2. Ask an employee to do something you already asked another employee to do.
3. Pressure employees to donate to a charity.

4. Make employees go without food at mealtime hours. .

5. Ask employees to evaluate themselves.

6. Ask employees to evaluate their peers.

7. Reveal personal information in the interest of "teambuilding."

8. Ask employees to alert you when you "veer off course."

9. Ask employees to do something you don't do.

For the complete article, see
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/9-things-you-should-never-ask-employees-to-do.html?nav=next

Article: Joining Forces With the White House, Northrop Grumman Submits Pledge to Hire, Train Veterans

Northrop Grumman has always employed veterans as far as far back when it the Northrop Aircraft Company.

I recall a number of veterans who were very good at what they did for the company.

However, more recently there is a trend to mismatch veterans to their jobs. It seems that the veteran are hired because they knew how to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" which was needed when Northrop-Grumman met with its military customers. 

Certain individuals lack the technical education and experience to do analysis. However, because  they look good and sound good they can attain highly visible positions of responsibility.

Joining Forces With the White House, Northrop Grumman Submits Pledge to Hire, Train Veterans - GlobeNewswire

Article: Fighting Pirates with Airships

LOOKS LIKE Northrop Grumman briefed the Brits on airship technology to fight pirates.

Fighting Pirates with Airships - Eaglespeak

Meetings cause a measurable drop in people's IQs, say researchers | Mail Online

There were meetings, meetings, and more meetings at Northrop Grummam.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2097737/Meetings-cause-measurable-drop-peoples-IQs-say-researchers.html

Article: Your next airliner could be a B-2 bomber

How hard did Northrop Grumman have to work to come up with this idea of a commercial airliner based on the B-2 bomber?

Your next airliner could be a B-2 bomber - DVICE

Messy desks in the office can actually lead employees to think more clearly, say researchers | Mail Online

Mosto managers at Nortjhrop Grumman prefer appearance over clear thinking.

See:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2088359/Messy-desks-office-actually-lead-employees-think-clearly-say-researchers.html

Panties in a Bunch

The British have got their panties in a bunch after learning that the F-35 Concurrency Quick Look Review dated November 29, 2011 includes reports that indicate the carrier version of the F-35 is unable to land on a carrier because of poor tail hook placement and that there is question of whether British air-to-air missiles can deployed.

Especially annoying to some Brits is that they sold off their Harrier Jump jets that could do much of what they needed to be replaced by F-35C that cannot land on carriers or fire air-to-air missiles. They originally did this as a cost-cutting measure to replace them with the very expensive F-35C.

If you want to look at the F-35 Concurrency Quick Look Review for you self see POGO 's Joint Strike Fighter Resource Page.

Article: Qantas Pays Up To $400,000 Each To 144 Passengers On Nightmare Flight

Another Northrop Grumman product is in the news again. 

"According to the paper, the money has arrived just as several passengers are on the verge of suing Northrop Grumman, which made the Air Data Inertial Reference Unit, the component that caused the mishap."

Qantas Pays Up To $400,000 Each To 144 Passengers On Nightmare Flight - The Huffington Post

F-35 a troubling example of Pentagon spending - The Washington Post

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) took the Senate floor on Dec. 15 and described the F-35 fighter program as "a mess."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/f-35-a-troubling-example-of-pentagon-spending/2011/12/23/gIQAGINIJP_story.html?wpisrc=nl_most

Article: Defense industry protests heat up

Northrop Grumman knows about winning proposals and having winning proposals overturned. After Boeing won the KC-X contract, Northrop EADS won it the second time around, and after  a protest Boeing won the contract the third time around.

Defense industry protests heat up - Orlando Sentinel

Article: Northrop spent $2.81 million on lobbying in 3Q

The Daily Breeze reports on Northrop Grumman's lobbying in efforts.

Northrop spent $2.81 million on lobbying in 3Q - Dailybreeze

Article: The 10 Reasons the F-35 Lightning Fighter Will Dominate 21st Century Skies

Here's an excellent PR piece for the F-35, the program that is over-cost, over-weight and over-schedule.

The 10 Reasons the F-35 Lightning Fighter Will Dominate 21st Century Skies - TheBlaze

Fw: F-35 Take off (Read First) WATCH THIS---UNBELIEVABLE

This was forwarded to me by Greg Lee.

F-35 vertical take off with "software malfunction".


mjj

---

Subject: F-35 Take off (Read First) WATCH THIS---UNBELIEVABLE

Having taken off from a Carrier myself, this is something that I would prefer to not try.

 Here is another craft that Northrop Grumman has a contract to build. In fact they build the center section of it. GREAT flying to say the least!!!

 

Read the text before watching the video ..................................     F-35 unintentional loop at takeoff on a carrier...........This guy clearly has brass and you know the sailors on the flight deck had a cow when they saw this unfold in front of them. Intentional? Hardly! This is unbelievable! F-35 unintentional loop at takeoff a real "check your laundry" event. A supremely well-trained US Navy pilot, ice running in his veins instead of blood, fully regains control of his $70 million, F-35 joint strike force fighter, after a problematic vertical take-off attempt. Watch as the rear vertical thruster fires to cause the problem.   There's nothing about this the pilot enjoys. If he could have ejected at 100' upside down and lived, he would have. Looks like the afterburner kicks in while still vectored for vertical takeoff. Lockheed would call this a "software malfunction" and do a little more "regressive testing." This is a good demonstration of power-to-weight ratio of this aircraft! And talk about stability control... Wow!  If he didn't come out of the loop wings-level, it probably would have been bad news; maybe taking some of the carrier with him!     Add to this flying through your own exhaust, which can lead to equipment malfunctions, as in "flame out". The F-35 is single engine aircraft with vertical takeoff/landing capability, but it has the aerodynamics of a Steinway piano at zero airspeed. This is the most unbelievable piece of flying you will ever see in your life.   This guy's coolness saved a 70 million-dollar aircraft! On the other hand, he might not have had time to react to anything except just ride it.  I bet you'll watch it at least 2 times!

Fw: Top Air Forces in the World

 This was forwarded to me by Greg Lee. mjj

This is a pretty cool presentation I think you'd enjoy.
 
Greg Lee

 

Great music too
Great photos. Presentation made by an Israeli group and I suspect some of the rankings will surprise you. It did me. I was especially surprised that China did not even make the top ten.


http://fun.mivzakon.co.il/video/israel/10460/�����_4_�����.html

Article: Northrop Grumman Ranks as a Top Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs

Northrop, now Northrop Grumman, has always hired former military folks

I noticed that fighter pilots were favored for management positions because they "looked good and sounded good" although they did not always have the best technical skills.

On the other hand, former non-combat officers in the support branches of the Air Force (e.g. logistics, maintenance, etc.) were passed over for management positions although they had the experience of managing hundreds of personnel and millions of dollars of budget while in the Air Force. Not being a combat pilot disqualifies these people. A big waste.

Northrop Grumman Ranks as a Top Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs - GlobeNewswire

The Navy's Blue Angels could have their wings clipped in defence budget cuts

The Northrop Grumman F/A-18 is used in the Navy Blue Angel air show. It is one of the recognizable Northrop Grumman products that the public can see.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065457/The-Navys-Blue-Angels-wings-clipped-defence-budget-cuts.html#ixzz1ecV9cVIN

Article: Northrop to fix costly B-2A structural problem

This is good. The Air Force has finally decided to pay for a structural re-design to fix a problem known for 22 years and is getting worse with time on the airframe.

Northrop to fix costly B-2A structural problem - Flightglobal

Article: The Navy's Modified X-47B Unmanned Drone Makes China's 'Carrier-Killing' Missiles Obsolete

LOOKS LIKE Northrop Grumman is helping to eliminate the need for trained aircraft pilots.

The X-47B will defend the fleet by rendering 'carrier-killing' missiles harmless. Northrop Grumman has also gotten contracts to modify the long range Global Hawk to act as aerial refueling tankers. No tankers pilots needed.

The Navy's Modified X-47B Unmanned Drone Makes China's 'Carrier-Killing' Missiles Obsolete - Business Insider

Article: UPDATE 3-Northrop pulls out of Farnborough air show

Northrop Grumman is no longer participating in the annual international Showcase of military and commercial aircraft.

Does this mean that Northrop Grumman considers itself a major player in the aircraft business?

See:

UPDATE 3-Northrop pulls out of Farnborough air show - Reuters