Northrop Grumman Corporation is a technology company and manufacturer that specializes in defense and commercial aerospace, electronic, and information technology products and services. The company dates back to 1939 when it was called Northrop Aircraft, Inc. Over several decades, Northrop acquired many different companies to make it the conglomerate that it is today. The company’s history includes creating many highly praised, innovative aircraft and accessories, as well as a shipping business. Because its manufacturing process included so much asbestos, Northrop Grumman has also been blamed for many cases of malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.
Northrop Grumman History and Asbestos
The history of Northrup Grumman is the tale of two separate companies: Northrop Aircraft (renamed Northrop Corporation in 1958) and Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation. The two companies established separate, stellar reputations for innovation in flight and aerospace technology until 1994 when Northrop successfully purchased Grumman and combined the two to form Northrop Grumman.[1]
Northrop Aircraft
Northrop Aircraft originated with John Knudsen Northrop, an aeronautical designer who founded Avion Corporation in 1928 after working for several different American aircraft manufacturers. Avion merged with United Aircraft and Transport Corporation under the name Northrop Aircraft Corporation for a short time, but by 1932, it joined Douglas Aircraft Company to become Northrop Corporation. That company built single-engine, all-metal aircraft for a few years, but then the two principals parted ways, with Douglas acquiring the remaining shares of Northrop Corporation and dissolving the company.[1]
Two years later, in 1939, John Northrop created a new iteration of Northrop Aircraft, Inc. Throughout World War II, the company developed and provided a radar-equipped, twin-engine plane called the P-61 Black Widow. After the war ended, the company became Northrop Corporation, and in 1958, it became known for developing an economical, lightweight, supersonic jet fighter called the N-156 that required simple maintenance. The company also built the T-38 Talon, the F-5 Freedom Fighter, and the F-5E Tiger II. Northrop became the principal supplier of pilotless target drones and guidance systems for tactical and strategic missiles, and in 1981, it was awarded a government contract to build the B-2 Spirit steal bomber.[1]
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation was founded by aeronautical engineer Leroy R. Grumman and two partners. The company got its start designing floats that allowed Navy land planes to operate as seaplanes, then eventually grew to become a key Navy aircraft supplier. The company built the F6F Hellcat, torpedo bombers, and others from the mid-1930s through World War II garnered more praise from the military than any other aircraft manufacturer.[1]
In 1969, the United States contracted with Grumman to build the F-14 Tomcat, a twin-engine, variable-wing aircraft that entered service in 1973. At the time, it was the most advanced, most expensive fighter jet that had ever been built. Grumman also provided small, long-range jets, including the A-6 Intruder and the turboprop E-2 Hawkeye. The company worked with the civil aviation market, providing the Gulfstream I for executive markets, and with the aerospace industry, designing and constructing the Apollo Lunar Modules.[1]
Merger of Northrop and Grumman
In the 1980s, Grumman drew the attention of multiple aerospace companies as a takeover target, and though Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin were both aggressively interested, Northrop’s strategy succeeded in 1994, and Northrop Grumman was established. The new powerhouse corporation acquired multiple additional companies, including Vought Aircraft, the defense and electronics systems businesses of Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and Logicon. It also spent a decade as a shipbuilding company building nuclear submarines and supercarriers on properties previously owned by Ingalls Shipbuilding and Avondale Shipyards but sold that sector off in 2011 to form Huntington Ingalls Industries.[1]
In the years after its merger, Northrop Grumman sold some of its commercial businesses to focus on its defense and information technology contracts. Today, the company employs more than 90,000 workers and is the prime contractor for both the Air Force and the Army’s Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, an advanced airborne surveillance and target-acquisition system. It also makes military radar systems, electronic countermeasures systems, early-warning aircraft, and unmanned drone and decoy aircraft. The company supplies Boeing’s military aircraft programs and is a leading provider of air traffic control systems for airports globally.[1]
How Did Northrop Grumman Use Asbestos?
Though asbestos has been used to add durability, strength, and fireproofing for centuries, the years between the 1930s and the 1980s saw its most constant use. In the United States, asbestos was considered a miracle mineral – it was cheap and easily accessible, and so it was used in industries of all kinds, but especially in the aerospace and defense industry. Asbestos was a vital component in aircraft of all kinds, from insulation to brake pads, from heat shields to gloves and blankets used to protect mechanics from the heat of the engines they were working on. Northrop Grumman used asbestos-containing materials that it purchased from other manufacturers for installation in their aircraft. Asbestos was also present in the company’s manufacturing facilities, thus increasing the risk of exposure for employees working in the company’s plants.
Some of the asbestos-containing aircraft components, equipment, and materials that were used in Northrop Grumman planes or that were present in the company’s factories included:
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Pipe insulation
- Engine mounts
- Engine insulation
- Asbestos gloves, aprons and blankets
- Electrical wiring and boards
- Floor tiles
- Brake systems and lining
- Cockpit heating systems
- Engine heat shields
- Torque valves
- Gaskets
- Welding rods
- Cargo bay insulation
Who Was Exposed to Asbestos from Northrop Grumman?
Exposure to asbestos has been directly linked to a wide range of serious illnesses. The deadliest of these is malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that forms on the mesothelium of either the pleural or peritoneal cavity. Asbestos exposure has also been blamed for asbestosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pleural plaques, and other debilitating diseases. Because Northrop Grumman’s planes were made using asbestos-containing parts and required asbestos-containing parts during routine maintenance and repairs, the people with the greatest risk of exposure were those who built the planes, those who worked on the planes, and those who were in the vicinity of repair work being done on the planes.
The amount of asbestos dust that was present in Northrop Grumman facilities was so great that it sickened an employee benefits advisor who occasionally visited the site to enroll workers. Dennis Britt died of malignant mesothelioma after inhaling asbestos fibers at the company’s facilities in Bethpage, New York, and Hawthorne, California. A Florida jury awarded his wife $8.5 million in compensatory damages and his estate an additional $519,265 to compensate them for their medical and funeral expenses.[2]
Workers who were most at risk of being exposed to asbestos from Northrop Grumman products included:
- Aircraft mechanics
- Northrop Grumman factory workers
- Insulation workers
- Engineers
- Sheet metal workers
- Electricians
- Welders
In addition to those who face occupational exposure to asbestos from Northrop Grumman facilities or products, the family members of these individuals also faced significant risk, as asbestos dust raised while they were working on the aircraft commonly settled on their hair, skin, or clothing and then was carried into their homes. Many wives have been diagnosed with mesothelioma following secondary asbestos exposure experienced while laundering their husband’s work clothes.
Asbestos Lawsuits Involving Northrop Grumman
Beyond the successful lawsuit filed by Dennis Britt’s widow, Northrop Grumman has faced multiple asbestos lawsuits claiming that its negligence had exposed veterans, its own employees, and others to asbestos and the risk of asbestos-related diseases. Among those lawsuits were:
- A personal injury claim filed by Air Force veteran John R. McCabe, Sr., and continued by his daughter after his mesothelioma death, named Northrop Grumman and other aerospace companies and their suppliers as defendants. Mr. McCabe had worked at the Kennedy Space Center repairing aircraft between 1953 and 1957. His expertise in rocket repair meant that he worked near launchpads and alongside astronaut support systems at air bases and sites, including Cape Canaveral. Though seven of the named defendants in that case settled out of court with Mr. McCabe’s daughter, Northrop Grumman is still facing litigation.
- Leona Rhodes filed an asbestos lawsuit against 43 asbestos companies, including Northrop Grumman, after her husband Dewey died of asbestos-related lung cancer. Dewey had been a mechanical repair worker at several sites, including on U.S. Navy ships, Odeco, and at Pensacola Aviation Center. He maintained and repaired aircraft and engines, including those used in Northrop Grumman’s aircraft. Though several of the claims were settled out of court, Northrop Grumman remains a defendant.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos from Northrop Grumman?
Even if you feel fine and have no signs of an asbestos-related disease, if you were exposed to Northrop Grumman’s products or worked in a Northrop Grumman facility, you may be at risk for being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease. Many of these diseases have extremely long latency periods, and it can take decades for symptoms to appear. Make sure that your physician is aware of your history of exposure so that they can respond quickly should any concerning symptoms appear: asbestos-related diseases are rare, and when healthcare professionals aren’t aware that a patient is at risk, they may lose valuable treatment time trying to treat the wrong illness.
Help for People Sickened by Asbestos from Northrop Grumman
The first step for people who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease is to obtain medical treatment. Your needs will be determined by your exact diagnosis, and it’s important to seek the best care you can, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Though mesothelioma is a challenging disease, there are many innovative treatments available at cancer centers around the country, including.
Once you have a treatment plan in place, speaking to an asbestos attorney is a smart next step. A lawyer with experience in representing people diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases will be able to explain the different options available to you for compensation. They also have extensive resources representing years of research into different companies that sold asbestos-contaminated products and work sites where asbestos-containing materials were used.
Speaking with a mesothelioma attorney is free, and once they’ve gathered some information, they’ll be able to tell you whether your occupational history makes you eligible to file claims with any of the asbestos trust funds that have been set up by asbestos companies that have filed for bankruptcy in the face of their asbestos liabilities. They’ll also explain the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit, including how settlements work, how long the process can take, and how long you have to file a suit before the statute of limitations expires.
The more you know about your options, the better equipped you will be to make the decision that’s best for you and your family.
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