Northrop to Expand Rocket Engine Manufacturing Operations; Mike Kahn Quoted

Northrop Grumman plans to expand its Cecil County, Md., manufacturing complex for rocket motors and expects the project to create 175 jobs at the facility over a five-year period.

The company's innovation systems sector, formerly called Orbital ATK, produces launch vehicle engines and employs 400 workers in the Elkton plant, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's office said Tuesday.

Mike Kahn, a vice president and defense group president at Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, said the Elkton team has provided rocket motors to support space and military programs over the past seven decades.

Kahn added the firm's continued partnership with the county and state will allow the company to continue to supply technologies to the Department of Defense and NASA.

The Maryland Department of Commerce has granted conditional approval for a $800K conditional loan to support project costs and pledged to issue a $200K training grant to the company.

Cecil County intends to provide a $80K conditional loan to help Northrop complete the project. The governor's office noted the company is eligible to receive job creation tax credits from the state.