NEWPORT NEWS Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News on Friday announced the layoffs of 378 salaried employees, effective immediately. No hourly workers are affected, said Margaret Mitchell-Jones, a Northrop Grumman spokeswoman.

NEWPORT NEWS The Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News a $189.2 million contract modification to continue the engineering and design effort for the nation’s newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford. The modification funds additional design, planning and system integration.

NEWPORT NEWS A spokeswoman for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News declined to comment Wednesday on a report on the website of the Daily Press that the shipyard planned to lay off more than 200 workers Friday. “We have nothing to announce and we cannot comment on speculation,” said the spokeswoman, Margaret Mitchell-Jones.

NEWPORT NEWS

A U.S.-based subsidiary of Gamesa, a wind-energy company headquartered in Spain, has signed an agreement with Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard to work on offshore wind technology.

A little-known Cleveland-based firm has bid to acquire the entire shipbuilding unit of Northrop Grumman Corp., including the big shipyard in Newport News that builds aircraft carriers and submarines for the Navy, a company executive confirmed Monday.

By Michael Sluss RICHMOND Northrop Grumman has agreed to pay as much as $250,000 for an independent review of last month's state computer meltdown that caused service interruptions at the Department of Motor Vehicles and affected about two dozen other government agencies.

PASCAGOULA, Miss.  Northrop Grumman Corp. announced Wednesday it plans to lay off 642 workers at its Pascagoula shipyard by the end of the year.

The first 292 affected workers were notified under a federal law requiring 60 days notice of layoffs that affect 500 or more people.

By Jeff E. Schapiro | Richmond Times-Dispatch, MCT Regional News 

RICHMOND Gov. Bob McDonnell is going to bat again for Virginia's computer contractor, warning state agencies -- many of which are being hit with rising information-technology costs -- to pay their bills on time.

The Navy has shrugged off Northrop Grumman Corp.'s decision to sell or spin off its shipbuilding business, including the Newport News shipyard that builds aircraft carriers and submarines.

By Olympia Meola and Jeff E. Schapiro

Richmond Times-Dispatch | MCT Regional News   Northrop Grumman can't use its pricey IT contract dispute with the state as a weapon in negotiations as it looks to relocate its corporate headquarters to the Washington region, Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell says.