Lockheed Martin joins race to make long-haul airships (Modern Blimp)

Lockheed Martin Corp. in Palmdale is looking to deliver a heavy cargo freighter. Skunk Works in Palmdale created the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter. Now the hangars has a 120-foot-long, 21-foot-tall dirigible that resembles a cloud with three puffs. This is a prototype of a much larger hybrid airship that Lockheed Martin Corp. has said may deliver heavy cargo and personnel to remote locations. It is called the LMH-1 will be a 21 metric ton, 300-foot-long and 78-foot-tall airship that is intended to carry truck-size loads to areas that are inaccessible to more traditional modes of transportation. It maybe more fantasy than reality though as they have no customers for the craft according to an LA Times report. This modern heavy lifting plane could be used for oil, and gas or other mining needs, humanitarian relief. The cost of the unit will cost $40 million, so likely only a government can afford such a craft. The skunk works units remains a high tech facility with a future vision in mind. This works for the growth of high paying jobs with higher educated people in need for housing and appealing surroundings.

Northrop Grumman’s New Bomber Gets Budget Approval, Good News for Palmdale

The Air Force said indicated it chose Northrop Grumman Corp., maker of the B-2 stealth bomber which was previously built in Palmdale Ca. Now Northrop Grumman will to build the next-generation bomber, which is highly classified. The cost is projected to be $80 billion to replace the aging bomber fleet. It may also be able to fly without a pilot aboard. It is a bid announcement for the Pentagon as they are planning to modernize their nuclear force, submarines, and long range bombers which is dubbed the B-3. The total budget is $348 billion over 10 years and other says it will be $1 Trillion in 30 years. Previously, Northrop Grumman said it could create 1,500 new jobs in Palmdale under the bomber contract. These new jobs should move the needle in the Palmdale housing market as new high tech engineers will be needed for this project as well as hundreds of admin support staff.

New Stealth Bomber Could Jump the Palmdale and Lancaster Economy Spring 2015

News reports indicate a big Pentagon Project which could be awarded to Palmdale, Ca. Northrop Grumman. They are bidding to make the New Stealth Bomber. Each plane could cost $550 million or more to make. Grumman already has a facility building the earlier bomber at Plant 42. Grumman and Palmdale, Ca. are in competition with Boeing on the project. This means more jobs for Antelope Valley. News reports also indicate that Sacramento legislators have passed bills to provide tax breaks for Lockheed and Grumman last summer in hopes on getting the deal. LA Times quotes Palmdale Ca. Mayor "They've indicated that they can’t talk about it but he can," Mayor James Ledford said the prospects look good. Northrop executives have said they would build substantial parts of the company's proposed bomber in Palmdale, he said, creating an estimated 1,500 jobs. Rival Lockheed Martin Corp. who is a subcontractor to Boeing Co. indicated it also plans to work on a new warplane in Palmdale, Mayor Ledford said. That means more jobs. Military officials say they want the plant to be built for $550 million each, and not the $1 Billion a plane as in the past. Sources indicate their budget is $1.2 Billion per plane, and they want to build 100 new planes starting this spring. Both Grumman and Lockheed have a track record of going over budget. Antelope Valley has a long history with high tech planes. The B-2 was built here, as well as the first Stealth Bomber, U-2 spy plane, and the F-117 stealth fighter. There has been a lot of jobs in Palmdale and LA County from aerospace through the decades of the Cold War. Even today Virgin Galactic tests their space rocket just north in Kern County at Edwards Air force Base. Winning this project will certainly help the local economy and these engineers will have to buy a home and later invest in their community.