Chapter 856: Big change

Landry Grumman feels that every day he lives now is like a year.
In the beginning, why did you get so crazy and agreed to smuggle that batch of F-14 aircraft accessories? Is it just because of the fear of losing your life?
With the deepening of the FBI investigation, more and more facts have surfaced. Robert Henry, the owner of the "Henry Rebirth Asset Processing Company", has been approved to be arrested and awaiting trial because he has at least one smuggling charge that cannot be removed. He was in the same situation as James MacDonald, who was released on bail awaiting trial. If it hadn’t been for the mysterious black messenger who was still at large and the chain of evidence was incomplete, he should now be living in a stinking cell. .
However, none of this is the worst.
The news from the Ministry of National Defense, the Congressional Military Commission, the upper navy and other places are all bad news-given the high cost of the F-14 fighter and the bad impact of this incident, the Navy may abandon all subsequent purchases. The plan is to switch to the newer F/A-18 fighter.
The actual situation further confirmed this news-Grumman's warehouse used to store F-14 spare parts was supervised by the U.S. Navy. There is no higher-level warrant, and even a screw is not allowed to leave the warehouse!
Worse news came one after another. Grumman’s name was crossed out in the conceptual design bidding for the
ATF
project that will begin next month. This also means that the company has lost even more in the next ten years. The possibility of obtaining a new fighter contract in a long time.
When news came that the "Super Panda" project was officially terminated, Landry found sadly that Grumman's path forward had been completely blocked.
That day, he ran to his father's grave alone. He was over fifty years old, but he was crying like a child holding his father's gravestone...
However, he knew that everything was irreversible.
It's time to make a decision.
He obtained the permission of the FBI responsible for monitoring him, and flew secretly to West Falls Church, Virginia, to meet with West Northrop, the current chairman and founder of Northrop Aircraft Manufacturing Company, John The sons of Northrop conducted a secret meeting that lasted 12 hours.
When he returned to Long Island, he convened a meeting. This meeting called all directors and veterans of the company to participate. At the meeting, he frankly admitted that it was his mistakes that caused the company’s current difficult situation. He bears full responsibility for this. The company is no longer sustainable, and the last thing he can do for the company is to find a good home for everyone.
He told them that he had reached an agreement with West Northrop that Grumman would merge with Northrop to form a new company, and because Northrop was executing a great epoch-making project-"Advanced Because the "Technical Bomber ATB" project urgently needs a large number of aircraft design and manufacturing elites to join, they do not have to worry about finding suitable positions and jobs in the new company. Not only will their salaries not decrease, but they may even increase...
At this moment, the precious legacy left by the old Grumman finally showed its value. The tolerant and warm-hearted corporate culture tradition made the directors and veterans of the company neither blame nor complain to him. Everyone said to Landry. In order to understand, many more people came forward to comfort him, and this made Landry cry once again.
So, immediately after the Macdonald Douglas spin-off case that shocked the world, another less compelling but far-reaching company merger in the U.S. and the global military industry also kicked off in November 1983. On the 25th, Northrop and Grumman jointly issued a statement that the two companies formally merged through a share swap. The new company was named "Northrop Grumman". At the same time, Lan Delhi Grumman announced his permanent withdrawal from the board of directors of the new company and only retained 1 share of "Norg" as a commemoration...
Everything that happens next is customary. Just as all acquisitions and mergers are completed at the capital level, the next three new aviation giants are bound to need to sort out the intricate internal organization, personnel, and projects, and overlap some of them. Post adjustments were made, redundant staff were reduced, and projects with unclear prospects or overlapping projects were cut to save money.
Boeing, which swallowed the McDonnell Douglas Civil Aircraft Department, can’t wait to swing its giant axe. The
DC-10
, which has a high accident rate and has been banned indefinitely by the FAA, originally competed directly with the
Boeing 747
and
Boeing 767
. Relationship, so it was cut off first, and the other main force of McDonnell Douglas "DC-9" series also has no need to reserve because of the existence of "Boeing 737" and "Boeing 757", but because it cannot do everything at once. In order to avoid the emotional overreaction of the original McDonnell Douglas employees, he barely retained a development model, retained the 100-seat class "MD95" under development, and gave a "Boeing 717" number to continue development.
As for the "MD-82", another development series of "DC-9"? Haha, what else do you need that model with the "Boeing 737"? what? Actually, there is still the hot authorized manufacturing of the whole machine that we talked with China a while ago? Even the inexplicable Chinese vice president has resigned, is there still a need for such a project? Want to maintain a good relationship with China Aviation Manufacturing to successfully enter the China Aviation market? It's not easy. In the past few years, didn't they issue an "aircraft component supplier qualification certification bronze medal" to their Xijing Aircraft Manufacturing Plant? Then, just sending them out packages for production of non-essential parts and soothing their emotions is enough to make them grateful, right?
Boeing’s approach is entirely due to its consistent corporate strategy. You must know that in another time and space, although the time for its annexation of McDonnell Douglas has been delayed for a long time, its approach is exactly the same as this time, and it has just won the McDonnell Douglas The first time, he could not wait to tear up its new technology transfer contract with China Xia!
In another company, a similar incident is also happening.
The new Northrop Grumman company has absolutely no intention of continuing to develop the F-14 fighter. In their view, the historical mission of this fighter has been completed, and the U.S. government will definitely not approve this again due to various considerations. The export of this type of fighter, and even if it can be approved, the high manufacturing cost and price of this fighter also determine its market prospects. It will inevitably be at a disadvantage in the competition with the F-15, and with the delivery of the F/A-18 fighter The Navy’s tendency to choose has been fully exposed, so the only task for the entire F-14 production line is to complete the Navy’s remaining orders and produce some necessary maintenance parts, which will contribute the final waste heat to the company’s profits.
What's more, at Northrop at this time, all resources and energy have to be invested in the huge and epoch-making "Advanced Technology Bomber ATB" project, and there is no time to consider the F-14 development model that has no prospects.
By the way, the final result of the development of this "Advanced Technology Bomber ATB" project is the B2 "Ghost" stealth strategic bomber that has been unique in the world for more than 30 years!
Based on this current situation, the entire F-14 project personnel of the original Grumman Company will inevitably be greatly reduced. This also allows an elderly person who is over 60 years old and has insufficient energy to finally obtain approval for the retirement application.