MELBOURNE, Fla., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. firm Northrop Grumman said Tuesday it has chosen BRPH to head a design team for a new production center.
Northrop Grumman said in a statement it chose "Melbourne, Fla.-based BRPH Companies Inc. to lead a multi-firm team to design the KC-30 Production Center in Mobile, Ala. The facility will be used for the final integration of refueling and military-specific systems for the KC-30 Tanker aircraft, Northrop Grumman's offering in the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 replacement competition."
Northrop Grumman said BRPH was "leading a team consisting of KBR's Mobile, Ala., office and Thompson Engineering, headquartered in Mobile. The team will design the production facility and provide ongoing technical support throughout construction."
"The BRPH team is very excited about our role in designing and constructing a facility that will be home to a vital aircraft program that supports our men and women in uniform," said Larry Shaw, CEO and chairman of BRPH Companies Inc. "Our experience in designing facilities of this size and scope and our familiarity with the Gulf Coast region certainly make us the best team for this project and will ensure on-time design, construction support and delivery of the facility."
Northrop Grumman said the KC-30 Tanker program would "create 5,000 new direct and indirect jobs throughout Alabama if the KC-30 is selected as the next-generation tanker aircraft."
"This is another significant milestone in our comprehensive plan to move another modern assembly and production facility into the Gulf Coast region," said Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman's vice president and general manager of the KC-30 Tanker program. "Our Mobile facility will build upon our experience at Moss Point, Miss., Lake Charles, La., and St. Augustine, Fla. This will ensure that we provide the U.S. Air Force a reliable and efficient production line for its next-generation tanker."
Northrop Grumman said the KC-30 Tanker aircraft would "be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the KC-30 tanker team will employ 25,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher."
