Northrop Urged to Improve at Newport

Northrop Grumman Corp. must improve management at Newport News Shipbuilding so aircraft carriers under construction or overhaul stay on schedule and within cost, said the Navy’s assistant secretary for acquisition.

Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman in December assumed management of Newport News, the country’s sole builder of nuclear aircraft carriers and a co-producer of nuclear submarines. John R. Young, the Navy’s top civilian acquisition official, said Northrop has not shown promised results at Newport News.

Northrop disagreed with Young’s assessment, saying it is “making excellent progress and is actually ahead of our schedule in integrating Newport News.”