Moret: Northrop Avondale at risk

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louisiana's economic development secretary said Friday he's concerned that the curtailment of Navy ship programs has put the future of Northrop Grumman's 5,000-employee Avondale shipyard in doubt. Stephen Moret made the comments after being briefed by Northrop Grumman officials. The Avondale yard is the state's largest manufacturing employer, but the smallest of Northrop Grumman's three major shipyards, which also include yards in Pascagoula, Miss., and Newport News, Va. A Northrop Grumman official reached Saturday by the Times-Picayune deferred comments to a company spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., who did not respond. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/03/10)