BALTIMORE, Nov. 20, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Electronic Systems sector has announced two senior-level executive appointments here, effective immediately. James F. Pitts has been named vice president and general manager, Aerospace Systems Division. D. Wayne Snodgrass has been appointed vice president, Engineering and Manufacturing, succeeding Mr. Pitts. Both positions report to Electronic Systems President Robert P. Iorizzo.
Mr. Pitts has had a key role in some of the sector's most important engineering accomplishments, such as the Airborne Self-Protection Jammer (AN/ALQ-165) and the Pave Pillar studies that defined the avionics architecture that eventually was used on the F-22.
Since joining the company 28 years ago as an engineer, he has held positions of increasing responsibility. Mr. Pitts was named deputy general manager of the Systems Development and Engineering Division in 1990, and one year later, was appointed vice president of Avionics Systems. In that position, he was responsible for developing and producing tactical and fire control radars on the F-16, F-22, B-1B and C-130. Mr. Pitts was named vice president of Engineering and Manufacturing in 1997.
Mr. Pitts earned a B.S. in engineering science and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He also attended the Executive Forum at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, in 1995 and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard in 1996. He holds three patents on electronic warfare techniques and developments.
Mr. Snodgrass most recently served as vice president in charge of Norden Systems in Norwalk, Conn., a sector business unit that specializes in surveillance and ground moving target indication, imaging and tracking. Before taking the Norden position in 1997, he was vice president of Antisubmarine Warfare and Ship Systems, having previously served as vice president of the sector's Naval Systems Division.
Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Mr. Snodgrass served as vice president and general manager of Gould Inc.'s Ocean Systems Division. Before that, he held a number of technical and management positions with McDonnell Douglas.
Mr. Snodgrass is a member of the Association of Old Crows, a senior member of the National Defense Industry Association, and a life member of the Navy League. He has also served on several Navy Research Advisory boards. He holds B.S. degrees in both electrical engineering and industrial engineering from Virginia Tech and pursued graduate studies in business and engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and at University of Southern California.
Headquartered in Baltimore, Md., the Electronic Systems sector is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense electronics and systems including airborne radar systems, navigation systems, electronic warfare systems, precision weapons, air traffic control systems, air defense systems, communications systems, space systems, marine systems, oceanic and naval systems, logistics systems, and automation and information systems.
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