Grumman is negotiating to buy Fairchild Republic.

Fairchild Republic Co., a unit of Fairchild Industries, is an aircraft builder that has had trouble meeting its contract with the Air Force to develop and build the T-46A jet trainer. Bethpage, N.Y.-based Grumman said it hoped the negotiations would produce an agreement “in the near future” but would not comment on a timetable or financial terms. Fairchild Republic is based in Farmingdale, N.Y., near Grumman’s Long Island headquarters.