Avondale yard won’t close until ships finished ?

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman says it will complete two Navy amphibious assault vessels at its Avondale shipyard—even if the work takes longer than the yard’s projected closing date of early 2013. Late Thursday, members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, who have been working to keep the Avondale shipyard alive after Northrop Grumman leaves, said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus had agreed to move up the start of a Navy tanker building program from 2017 to 2014. The delegation said that would give a shipbuilding company a chance to bid for the program and build the double-hulled tankers at Avondale, thus increasing the possibility that another shipbuilding company will buy the yard. The delegation also said Mabus had agreed to require Northrop Grumman to finish two ships in the Navy’s LPD-17 series at Avondale that are currently under construction. Delegation members said the agreement would keep the shipyard open through 2013. Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman says it has no intention of doing anything but finishing the ships at Avondale, no matter how long that takes. The projected closing date is based upon current construction schedules, the company says. Avondale currently has about 4,700 workers, making it Louisiana’s largest industrial employer. Northrop Grumman is in the process of finishing work and closing a smaller shipyard at Tallulah, which will end 95 jobs.