McDonnell’s Astronautics Firm to Be Split Into 3 Units

McDonnell Douglas said Monday that it will split up its astronautics company, which includes its 8,200-employee facility in Huntington Beach, into three separate units effective Dec. 1.

Company officials said the move is intended to streamline the operations of the St. Louis-based astronautics division and better focus activities of its three primary businesses--space systems, missile systems and defense electronics.

“This puts us in a position to be able to compete better in certain lines of our business,” said Susan Flowers, a spokeswoman at the parent firm’s St. Louis headquarters. “I don’t believe this will have any effect on employment in St. Louis, Huntington Beach or our other locations.”

The astronautics unit, with 1987 revenue of about $2 billion, is the third largest of McDonnell Douglas’s five major operating companies. The Huntington Beach operation will be renamed McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co. The operation’s main activities include work on the U.S. space station, Delta rocket launch vehicles and the Strategic Defense Initiative, or “Star Wars,” program. Those programs will not be affected by the reorganization, said Tom Williams, a spokesman in Huntington Beach.

C. James Dorrenbacher, executive vice president of the astronautics division, has been named president of space systems company. Dorrenbacher will continue to work in Huntington Beach.

McDonnell Douglas Missile Systems Co. will have responsibility for the company’s tactical missiles and combat weapons systems. The new company will be headquartered in St. Louis; Robert H. Hood, now a vice president for aerospace business development, will become president.

McDonnell Douglas Electronic Systems Co. will be made up of defense electronics and command, control and communications and intelligence businesses. The main elements of the new company will be various defense operations in Huntington Beach, St. Louis and McLean, Va. No headquarters site has been chosen.

R. R. Erkeneff, vice president and general manager of the company’s command, control and communications and intelligence program in Huntington Beach, has been named executive vice president of the electronic systems unit.

John F. Yardley, president of the astronautics division, has been named senior vice president of the parent company. He will continue to head the operations during the restructuring and serve as acting head president of the electronics unit until a permanent president is named.