JACKSON, Miss. – Northrop Grumman officials want to move forward with plans to develop a supplier park on vacant land next to its Pascagoula shipyard, despite a change of leadership at the company.

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems President Philip Dur earlier this year unveiled plans to entice the shipbuilder’s major suppliers to set up shop on the 130-acre East Bank at Ingalls Shipyard.

Dur said bringing Northrop’s suppliers closer to the shipyard would keep the defense contractor competitive at a time when the Navy is scaling back orders. Northrop Grumman and Bath Iron Works, in Bath are the two yards involved in the Navy’s DD(X) destroyer program.

To promote his idea, Dur set up a meeting in February between Gov. Haley Barbour and other key state officials and representatives of companies from as far away as Germany.

Since unveiling plans for the supplier park, Dur has announced that he’s retiring at the end of the year. Northrop spokeswoman Paige Eaton said Dur’s retirement should not affect the company’s commitment to the project.

“Northrop Grumman continues to support the planning and evaluation efforts for the East Bank redevelopment project,” Eaton said. “Currently, the Staubach Company is working on the feasibility analysis, which is to be completed this month.”

She said companies such as MTU, L3 Communications, BAE, Raytheon, Rolls Royce and General Electric have expressed interest in establishing themselves in the park, but no firm commitments have been made.

George Freeland, executive director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, said the plan could boost the coast’s economy.

“Is it a good thing because it gives us additional capacity to create jobs and attract new investment to the community? Well, you better believe it’s a good thing,” Freeland said. “The vendors that Dr. Dur alluded to back in January represent a fairly broad, technology-oriented skill set.

The companies Northrop hopes to attract to Pascagoula produce marine gas turbines, electrical systems, power panels, switching gear generators, combat systems, radars and communications equipment.

Northrop Grumman is the state’s largest private employer, with more than 12,000 workers. The company is one of the nation’s largest defense contractors, with manufacturing plants in several states and revenues of $7.85 billion in 2004.