04 June 2014

News Story: US Firms Expand Presence in Australia


By MARCUS WEISGERBER

WASHINGTON — As the Pentagon shifts its focus to the Asia-Pacific region, Northrop Grumman is expanding its footprint in Australia, which company officials want to make a hub for its logistics business.

Northrop purchased Qantas Defence Services in February. Through the purchase, the US-based company acquired the maintenance and logistics work already being done by Qantas, allowing it to diversify its program portfolio and expertise.

“There’s a couple of ways to survive in a global industry,” Steve Hogan, Northrop’s vice president and general manager for its Integrated Logistics and Modernization division, said May 28 at the National Press Club here. “You can try to bring a capability, one individual at a time. You can try to partner with a particular company or activity in a particular area of the country, or you can expand through acquiring capabilities in the areas you want to be in.”

Northrop inherited a Royal Australian Air Force contract to perform logistics work on Lockheed Martin C-130H transports, Airbus A330 tankers and Boeing 737 and Bombardier CL-604 VIP aircraft.

Moreover, Northrop is looking to expand its maintenance operations in Australia and throughout the region.

Read the full story at DefenseNews