AEROSPACE

McDonnell Douglas to Create New Unit; 500 Jobs Affected: The company said it will consolidate its technology development efforts and fire or transfer more than 500 employees. The Advanced Systems and Technology-Phantom Works unit will focus on developing more affordable, technically improved aerospace products. The technology group will employ about 3,000 people in Southern California, Arizona and Missouri. That number will be reduced about 300 by year-end as the consolidation in completed, St. Louis-based McDonnell Douglas Corp. said. In addition, McDonnell Douglas Technologies Inc. in San Diego, which employs 230, will be closed and work transferred to a Mesa, Ariz., plant.