Southern California
Industry Quietly Heeds War's Drumbeat
Peter Pae, LA Times
October 6, 2002
September 27, 2002
Southern California's defense industry -- the nerve center for advanced
weapons and surveillance technology for the U.S. military -- is quietly
gearing up for a potential attack against Iraq.
At Pentagon contractors throughout the region, engineers have been
ordered to put vacations on hold. Some have been told to plan for
longer
spells at the office. And companies that make sophisticated
intelligence-gathering equipment have been directed by the government
to
field new technologies ahead of schedule.
TRW Inc. engineers in Carson, for instance, were told last week to
immediately begin supplying a new battlefield computer system to troops
in the Persian Gulf region, although the equipment is still in the
testing phase. The computers, similar to civilian laptop devices, are
designed to give Army units down to squad level instant access to
battlefield information, including the positions of enemy targets and
the locations of other U.S. troops.
Citing the need for discretion, industry executives are declining to
comment publicly on the surge of activity. But based on interviews with
engineers who requested anonymity, the busiest companies appear to be
those that specialize in technologies for intelligence, surveillance
and
reconnaissance work, as well as those working to improve the accuracy
of
missiles and bombs.
"We can't talk much about what we are doing, but the activity here has
definitely stepped up," a TRW executive said. A Southland aerospace
engineer, who spoke on condition that he not be identified, said: "It
sounds like we're going to get pretty busy." The engineer, who had to
work through several seven-day weeks providing technical support for
U.S. troops during the initial military operations in Afghanistan last
fall, said he was told to expect a similar schedule starting next
month.
Nearly a quarter of the Pentagon's research and development funds are
funneled to companies in California, by far the largest of any state.
The bulk of those companies are located in Southern California and
employ a total of about 50,000 people.
Or at least that's the official estimate. In fact, many Southern
California companies are engaged in so-called black programs, highly
classified military projects whose budgets are secret.
Because of the hidden nature of these programs, the precise number of
engineers and companies involved in military preparations in the Los
Angeles region is not known -- or, for that matter, even visible. Much
of the work here involves classified engineering research conducted in
nondescript, often-windowless buildings deep within office complexes.
One of the biggest players in the local aerospace community is Century
City-based Northrop Grumman Corp. The company's Integrated Systems
Group
in El Segundo, which developed the B-2 stealth bomber, is designing the
latest unmanned aircraft and airborne surveillance equipment.
Other notable defense companies in the area include:
TRW Inc. in Redondo Beach and
Carson, which builds mili-tary communication satellites and battlefield
command-and-control systems.
Boeing Co. in Seal Beach and
Anaheim, which designs and develops next-generation spy satellites and
military communication systems.
Raytheon Corp. in El Segundo, which
is developing radar-jamming equipment, sensors for spy planes, and
targeting and guidance systems for missiles.
Lockheed Martin Corp. in Palmdale,
which conducts classified aircraft design and development programs at
its famed Skunk Works. Lockheed Martin also engineers upgraded
equipment
for F-117 stealth fighters and U-2 spy planes.
Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, a
government-funded research center, which assists and supervises
development of advanced spy satellites and other classified
intelligence
programs.
Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine reported last week that six
such satellites have been maintaining a close watch on Iraq. Three of
the satellites are equipped with optical and infrared sensors that can
see through darkness and foul weather for evidence of nuclear, chemical
and biological weapons development, the report said.
At Raytheon, engineers who work on precision-guided weapons and other
classified programswere told -- without explanation -- to postpone
vacations between October and the end of the year.
A Raytheon spokesman declined to comment but acknowledged that the
company had received Pentagon orders to accelerate production of
certain
products including"Little Buddy" electronic decoys.
Raytheon engineers in Goleta, near Santa Barbara, designed the decoys,
which are towed behind fighters and bombers. The Little Buddy is
designed to electronically fool an antiaircraft missile into hitting it
instead of the aircraft.
The anticipation of hostilities with Iraq has sent defense industry
stocks surging in recent months, with investors figuring that a
conflict
would boost weapons orders and fuel additional research funding.
Shares of many Pentagon contractors, especially those focused on
developing high-tech weapons, already were trading at record levels in
the aftermath of military action in Afghanistan last fall. Northrop's
shares have jumped 55% since the terrorist attacks last year, and
Raytheon is up 30% and TRW 75%, while the market as a whole has
declined.
Although much of the high-tech research activity has centered on
Southern California, weapons makers in other states also have been
bustling with activity in recent months.
In Tucson, where Raytheon manufactures weapons, production of Paveway
air-to-surface and Tomahawk cruise missiles has tripled in recent
months. The Paveway, a laser-guided missile, could have significant use
in Iraq, defense analysts said, because it can carry a new
bunker-busting warhead that is designed to kill troops hidden deep
inside hardened underground chambers.
Raytheon executives confirmed that they also have been asked to upgrade
Tomahawk cruise missiles so they can be guided by signals from Global
Positioning System satellites, making them effective in any weather.
The Pentagon also has asked Boeing to double the production rate of
kits
that turn so-called dumb bombs into much more accurate guided bombs.
The
JDAM kits -- for joint direct attack munition -- are attached to
gravity
bombs and, using signals from GPS satellites, can guide the weapons to
their targets with extreme accuracy.
The supply of kits is being replenished after a larger-than-expected
number were used in Afghanistan. About 9,000 of the 24,000 bombs
dropped
there were equipped with JDAM kits. The remainder were either
laser-guided or free-fall bombs.
Boeing has been asked to boost production of JDAM kits from about 700 a
month to 1,500.
"I get the general impression that things are going to start moving
rather quickly after the November elections and everybody wants to have
their ducks lined up if the president decided to move sooner than
later," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a defense
research firm. "Things might happen rather quickly after the election,
and anybody that says nothing will happen until February will be
surprised."
originally published as:
"Southland Defense Industry Quietly Heeds War's Drumbeat"
http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-gearup27sep27,0,7567233.story
Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times
