Northrop Grumman Expands Composites Manufacturing Training for Major Turkish F-35 Supplier

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is adding momentum to Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc.'s (TAI) readiness to build complete center fuselages for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft by teaching its engineers how to build the complex composite structures used in the jet.

From Jan. 18 to Feb. 12, the company conducted rigorous classroom and hands-on training at its Advanced Composites Center in El Segundo for more than a dozen engineers and manufacturing specialists from TAI. The training was the third in a planned series of classes designed to teach TAI employees, ultimately, how to build a complete F-35 center fuselage.

"To date, TAI has made great progress in learning the tools and techniques of composites manufacturing," said Mark Tucker, vice president and F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "The recent training helped solidify their understanding of how to successfully produce and handle the actual composite inlet ducts used in the F-35."

TAI is a second source supplier of F-35 center fuselages to Northrop Grumman, a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry team. The Turkish company is slated to produce 400 center fuselages for the program beginning in the low rate initial production phases.

Guided by Northrop Grumman F-35 subject matter experts, the training engaged the TAI employees actively in the production of forward and aft inlet ducts for the jet. It included learning how to use the complex fiber placement mandrels that define the shape of the ducts; operating the machines that perform the actual fiber placement process; preparing the ducts for curing; performing post cure processing; and machining and conducting a final inspection of the completed parts. 

According to Tucker, one of the parts that the TAI team helped produce – a forward inlet duct – will be integrated into one of the first major structural assemblies to be produced at TAI's new F-35 assembly facilities in Ankara, Turkey later this year.

For Türker Dölek, a senior member of the TAI group, the benefits of the training extended far beyond simply refining and maturing their F-35 composite manufacturing skills.

"What we are also learning from Northrop Grumman is how to handle and manage manufacturing problems," explains Dolek. "We're very impressed that the company is encouraging all of its suppliers to bring their best effort to the program. All of the Northrop Grumman employees on the program are doing their best. We're very honored to be part of this project."

The TAI training is part of Northrop Grumman's on-going commitment to help expand international participation in the F-35 program, build a reliable global supply chain, and help Lockheed Martin transition the program successfully from its current system development and demonstration phase into the LRIP and full-rate production phases.

Northrop Grumman is responsible for designing and producing the center fuselage for all three variants of the F-35. The company also designed and produces the aircraft's radar and other key avionics including electro-optical and communications subsystems; develops mission systems and mission-planning software; leads the team's development of pilot and maintenance training system courseware; and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman-Built Submarine New Mexico (SSN 779) Returns From Successful Sea Trials

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New Mexico (SSN 779), the nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered submarine, returned to Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va. after completing the ship's first round of successful sea trials on Nov. 26.

Sea trials provide an opportunity to test all systems, components and compartments and include submerging for the first time, high-speed runs while on the surface and submerged, and a demonstration of the submarine's other capabilities.

"The first sea trial is a milestone that the entire shipbuilding and Navy team has been working hard to achieve," said Becky Stewart, vice president for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's submarine program. "This accomplishment is a testament to the craftsmanship, dedication, persistence, and pride that our people take in the product they build -- a very complex and high quality submarine."

New Mexico is the sixth ship of the Virginia class and is in the final stages of construction and testing at the company's Newport News shipyard. Delivery to the Navy is scheduled by the end of this year. The keel for New Mexico was authenticated April 12, 2008. The ship was christened on Dec. 13, 2008.

New Mexico is named for "The Land of Enchantment." Upon delivery to the Navy this year, it will be the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, providing undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.

Northrop Grumman Newport News is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build the first 18 ships of the Virginia class. Current plans call for 30 Virginia-class submarines in the fleet. Using millions of parts from over 4,000 suppliers in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations and are the first major combatants designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman to Work With U.S. Air Force on Designing "Plug and Play" Capability for Future Spacecraft

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) will help the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) design a spacecraft "bus" with plug-and-play capability to reduce cost and schedule in developing future space systems.

Northrop Grumman has been awarded an initial $500,000 task order for a six-month study under the AFRL's Plug-and-Play Spacecraft Technologies program. The company will deliver the study to the AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The task order was awarded under an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract with a ceiling of $200 million.

The spacecraft "bus" is the infrastructure that serves as the platform for carrying the payload and other mission-oriented equipment. Payload components could be changed in and out without a major spacecraft redesign.

"Plug-and-play capability could change the way spacecraft are built by shortening industry's response time to customers' mission requirements," said Steve Hixson, vice president of Advanced Concepts-Space and Directed Energy Systems for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "It will provide a standard interface for different payload components, much like a laptop computer that immediately recognizes new hardware when it's plugged in."

Northrop Grumman recently demonstrated its rapid response capability, with NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). Northrop Grumman delivered the spacecraft for launch in just 27 months using standardized structural elements; commercial-off-the-shelf hardware, sensors and components; flight-proven payload instruments and sophisticated risk management. In October, LCROSS successfully impacted the moon in support of NASA's search for evidence of water ice that could serve as a resource for future lunar outposts.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Navy Awards Northrop Grumman $635 Million Contract for Submarine Work

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $635 million cost plus fixed-fee/level of effort contract for engineering, design and modernization support of new construction, operational and decommissioning submarines.

The company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va., is the prime contractor for the work on both the Los Angeles-class and Seawolf-class submarines which includes technical support; management of technical manuals and drawings; and design efforts to support modernization of the ships. Work on the contract is scheduled to conclude in 2014.

"This contract award continues the core work that is the foundation of our submarine business. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Navy as we endeavor to build and maintain high quality, complex and very capable submarines for the fleet," said Becky Stewart, vice president for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's submarine program. "This contract brings stability to the submarine program and our workforce, and the modernization work over the next five years will greatly benefit our customer."

Planning and engineering for upgrade modifications and modernization is part of an attack submarine's 33-year life. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding is the design agent and planning yard for the Los Angeles class and the lead design and co-planning yard for the Seawolf-class submarines.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Successfully Demonstrates Interoperability Between Manned and Unmanned Platforms

Monday, August 24, 2009

A leader in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully demonstrated Joint STARS and E-2 Hawkeye interoperability between manned and unmanned platforms during a recent virtual joint military demonstration involving U.S. and coalition forces.

The demonstration, Empire Challenge 09 (EC09), was executed by U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) and aimed at demonstrating how U.S. and coalition forces can better work together to collect, analyze and share relevant reconnaissance information.

"The ability to collect and share real-time ISR at the theatre and the tactical level quickly and accurately is crucial to ensuring battle commanders have the enhanced situational awareness required for successful mission completion," said Tom Vice, vice president of Battle Management and Engagement Systems division for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector. "During Empire Challenge, we successfully demonstrated how manned command and control aircraft can direct and manage unmanned aircraft to enhance image collection and target identification. We will take what we've learned through this collaborative exercise to continue to mature our ISR capabilities to ensure our warfighters have the mission critical information they need when they need it."

During the month-long exercise, virtual physics-based and operational flight program simulations of multiple Northrop Grumman platforms, including the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) and E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, worked collaboratively to achieve interoperability between multiple manned and unmanned aircraft via an airborne Web services architecture.

One key element to the success of this interoperability was an E-2 Hawkeye developmental test bed. The test bed is based on the robust capability of the U.S. Navy's E-2 Hawkeye mission computing system which enabled it to successfully operate the Electrical Optical (EO) sensor onboard both manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in response to requests from ground commanders. Using machine-to-machine command interfaces, the E-2 test bed was able to cue each UAV simulator to provide imagery of both static and dynamic ground tracks for target identification. The image request messages were transmitted via machine-to-machine interfaces, replacing the need for voice and manual chat resulting in an increased response time.

The virtual Joint STARS integrated the Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) architecture providing constellation management along with UAV control and multi-level security capability sets which enabled the platform to demonstrate an expansion of its current ISR role to include automated UAV image collection and development of target quality solutions to support strike engagements.

Sensor imagery received from the UAVs via Joint STARS was provided to an image analyst who examined each image and determined which should be included in the image product library (IPL). Images in the IPL were used to populate the Global Command and Control System (GCCS). Once threats were identified, the E-2 test bed managed airborne attack assets, including F-18s and EA-6Bs, to conduct precision strike missions against those threats, based on Joint STARS ground tracks and correlated imagery supporting threat identification. The net effect of this ISR sensor tasking and command and control network was a reduction in both the 'kill-chain,' the time it takes to find, identify, and engage a target, and the operator workload required to accomplish the task.

In addition to the virtual Joint STARS and E-2 Hawkeye platforms, other Northrop Grumman assets participating virtually in Empire Challenge 09 included the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft reconnaissance system, MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing unmanned system, and the MQ-5B Hunter medium altitude unmanned aerial system.

The virtual, human-in-the-loop wargaming environment utilized in Empire Challenge was built by Northrop Grumman and developed with the company's Cyber Warfare Integration Network (CWIN). Based at the USJFCOM Joint Intelligence Laboratory (JIL) in Suffolk, Va., the virtual platforms were linked to the "live-fly" exercise at the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) in China Lake, Calif., as well as the Combined Air Operations Center-Experimental at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

"By providing this virtual modeling and simulation environment, Northrop Grumman added an increased level of complexity to the demonstrations," said Chris Frangos, chief architect, Systems Engineering Integration & Test (SEIT) director for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The ultimate goal of the exercise was to gain a better understanding of the challenges that irregular warfare brings to our warfighters and how Northrop Grumman platforms, technologies and architectures provide solutions to these challenges."

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

First Successful Powered Flight of the Longbow Fire Control Radar Electronics Unit Configuration

Monday, April 6, 2009

On An Apache Block III Prototype Helicopter Achieved

The Longbow Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), recently marked the first successful powered flight of the Radar Electronics Unit (REU) configuration of the Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) onboard an AH-64D Apache Block III prototype attack helicopter.

The Longbow Fire Control Radar system enables the Apache Longbow to rapidly search, detect, locate, classify, prioritize and engage both moving and stationary targets. The advanced REU improves power ratios and provides built-in processor expansion growth for new operating modes that will expand the Apache's role and missions. The REU is a key capability that will be integrated on all Apache Block III aircraft. One of its design features is that it may be installed to operate on Apache Block I or Block II aircraft with appropriate modifications, in addition to the Block III aircraft.

"The Longbow REU configuration is a significant capability advancement for the Longbow Apache AH-64D, the most versatile attack helicopter in the world," said Steve Considine, Longbow LLC vice-president and director of Longbow Aviation Programs at Northrop Grumman's Land Forces Division. "The REU's design preserves the two-level maintenance concept, lowers operations and supportability costs and improves reliability three fold, all while reducing the size and weight of the radar electronics on the Apache by half."

The Longbow system, as currently configured by the U.S. Army, consists of: the Longbow fire control radar; the AGM-114L fire-and-forget radar frequency Longbow Hellfire millimeter wave-guided missile, the all-digital M299 launcher and the AN/APR-48A Radio Frequency Interferometer for the AH-64 Apache helicopter. The Longbow REU configuration will be fielded on the Apache Block III aircraft beginning in 2011.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Awarded Rapid Prototyping, Integration and Development Contract

Monday, November 17, 2008

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract by the 50th Space Wing supporting the Space Innovation and Development Center's Aerospace Fusion Center (AFC) at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., for the Rapid Prototyping, Integration and Development (RaPID) program.

RaPID is a program that provides operations and maintenance (O&M) support to the AFC and research and development (R&D) in Overhead Non-imaging Infrared (ONIR) ground processing systems to support missile defense, battlespace awareness and space situational awareness missions. The contract is valued up to $72.5 million.

This contract continues Northrop Grumman's relationship with the AFC for ONIR technology. The company received a contract for RaPID in 2005 for ONIR R&D and to provide ONIR data to multiple R&D users. The new follow-on contract covers funding for fiscal year (FY) 2009 with annual options through FY 2013.

Under the new contract, Northrop Grumman will provide the AFC with O&M and R&D for the Space Awareness and Global Exploitation (SAGE)

system, which is a state-of-the-art multi-sensor, multi-mission fusion engine that provides information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to many R&D users. The company will also support the Static Infrared Emitter (SIRE) processor, SAGE client displays, and affiliated hardware, software, crypto and communication lines.

"This award will allow us to broaden our sensor exploitation system contributions to the AFC," said Joseph J. Ensor, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Space and ISR Systems Division. "As we continue the development of the SAGE system, we will meet the expanding ONIR data needs of a wide variety of end users."

Requirements also include the utilization of SAGE analysis events in both real-time and playback mode, integration and tuning of advanced ONIR fusion algorithms in SAGE, providing operational

performance assessment, incorporating mission performance improvements on SAGE, and system administration functions. The contract also allows for RaPID to be used by various organizations for their own R&D in such areas as missile defense, battlespace awareness and space situational awareness.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Statement Regarding Its Filing of JLTV Protest With Government Accountability Office

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a review of the evaluation conducted by the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Source Selection Authority (SSA) to identify development teams for the technical demonstration (TD) phase of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program.

After careful examination of the data presented at the Nov. 5 debriefing, it is apparent that inconsistencies in the bid and evaluation process unfairly placed the Northrop Grumman team at a competitive disadvantage. Northrop Grumman requests that the GAO examine the process, which it believes is marred by unstated requirement changes and arbitrary maturity ratings.

Northrop Grumman offered the best solution for a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, clearly meeting the battlefield needs of our nation's warfighters. The team developed the most innovative design and at a cost significantly below other alternatives, factors we believe were not given full consideration. Design maturity is clearly a critical element, but innovation does not mean the lack of design maturity. Northrop Grumman's innovative approach is to give our warfighters the best solution while offering American taxpayers the best value at lowest cost.

The immediate need for this new vehicle is undisputed, but American warfighters deserve more than last year's model, hastily retrofitted for rapid deployment. In the same development period they can have the protection, maneuverability, and security of a combat vehicle designed from the start to meet 21st Century threats.

Northrop Grumman, and its partner Oshkosh Defense, are requesting the GAO to examine several aspects of this competition, including:

-- The SSA misapplied the stated evaluation criteria, elevating maturity level subfactors to a super factor status. The evaluation also reflected an unannounced agency decision to transform the solicitation from a TD phase to a defacto System Design & Development (SDD) effort.

-- The SSA relied unreasonably on company self-evaluations of design maturity and failed to conduct an adequate, independent assessment of the submitted designs.

-- The value of a demonstrator was not made clear, nor did the SSA make a meaningful assessment of demonstrator vehicles and their relevance to proposed designs.

-- Cost was undervalued by the SSA in its determination, disregarding the significant cost savings offered by Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Production-Line High-Power, Solid-State Laser to U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory At Kirtland AFB

Monday, September 29, 2008

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered a compact, standalone, 15kW high-power, solid-state laser developed for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

Called Vesta II, the laser was a sole source add-on to the Joint High Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) program contract and leverages Northrop Grumman's scalable technology architecture.

The transportable, push-button laser is a reproducible product that takes advantage of compactness to broaden the potential range of uses by military services. The reduced size, long run time, high beam quality and power level allow for a wide range of use, compared with other military lasers being developed. The modular design enables manufacturing repeatability at Northrop Grumman's laser factory, in turn enhancing reliability and affordability.

"Vesta II is a unique, compact, high-power laser available for laboratory use as a testing device for lethality, atmospheric propagation, long-range imaging and laser weapon applications," said Dan Wildt, vice president of Directed Energy Systems for Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. The U.S. military has set a power level goal of 100kW to shoot down rockets, missiles, artillery and mortars, by comparison.

"By 'scaling down' the overall architecture of solid-state laser weapons into more compact, easy-to-use systems, we have taken a very large step toward making them more rugged and easier to field," Wildt added.

Vesta II was accepted in late June by the Optics Division of AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate. The division conducts research to improve optical and imaging systems that enhance the nation's ability to view objects in space and also to put high-energy laser power on-target. The directorate develops high-energy lasers, high-power microwaves and other directed energy technologies for the Air Force and Department of Defense.

A laser weapon that utilizes push-buttons for easy operation, Vesta II is based on Northrop Grumman's original Vesta introduced in 2006, as well as technology it developed for the JHPSSL program. The original Vesta exemplified company-funded efforts to develop reproducible compact laser weapons powerful enough to perform many basic military missions and hasten their battlefield use.

Northrop Grumman has been a leader in developing and demonstrating high-energy lasers for more than 30 years.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won - Mission Capability

Monday, April 21, 2008

The U.S. Air Force found Northrop Grumman's (NYSE: NOC) bid to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing's in four of the five most important selection criteria. Despite this fact, the losing bidder wants the Government Accountability Office to overturn the Air Force decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman. Starting today and regularly in the coming weeks, "Why We Won" will provide detailed examples of why Northrop Grumman was selected, drawing on facts listed in a redacted version of a protected Air Force selection document. We begin with Mission Capability, which includes the crucial function of aerial refueling.

Mission Capability

The Air Force found the Northrop Grumman KC-45 provides "Better fuel offloads at all distances from bases," "Better air refueling efficiency," "Better offload rate and receive rate," and has "A greater boom envelope vs. Boeing."

This means the Northrop Grumman plane can provide more fuel at greater range, is more fuel efficient when executing the tanker mission, can perform many refueling operations faster, and can connect to receivers over a greater volume of airspace behind the tanker than Boeing's aircraft.

In a written explanation of the Air Force thinking on this subject, Sue Payton, the Air Force's chief acquisition officer, said the Air Force determined that Northrop Grumman provided "Significant refueling advantages."

Payton added that Northrop Grumman's aircraft's "Refueling capability was compelling to my decision."

"Northrop Grumman's offer was a superior solution to the air refueling requirement, which is a key performance parameter," Payton wrote.

Despite this, Boeing's defenders in Congress are now demanding that the fair and transparent bidding process that led to the Northrop Grumman selection be overturned to ensure that Boeing is given the contract, in spite of the clear inferiority of the plane it offered to our men and women in uniform.

In fact, Boeing disagrees with the Air Force formula for air refueling efficiency that shows the winning Northrop Grumman tanker as six percent more efficient in relation to fuel delivered versus fuel consumed, so they invented their own.

As the Wall Street Journal concluded in a recent editorial, "There's a word for that, but it's not patriotism."

About the KC-45

The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the KC-45 team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49 states. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher.