BALTIMORE, June 13, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI's) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI(r)) Level 5 rating for Software Engineering and Level 3 rating for Systems Engineering and Hardware Design. The CMMI is considered the newest standard for benchmarking industry's best management and engineering practices.
"We have raised the bar by totally integrating all engineering development processes -- not just in software and systems engineering but in hardware design and program management as well," said Wayne Snodgrass, vice president of engineering and manufacturing at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. "Perhaps the most impressive thing about this achievement has to do with the scope of the CMMI appraisal. Rather than focusing on a single product line or specific process, it covered our entire Aerospace Systems business area, which comprises more than 1,000 engineering personnel and generating annual sales totaling more than $1.5 billion in 2002."
The company's Electronic Systems sector, a leader in software process improvement initiatives for more than 15 years, has more recently expanded its process improvement program to include systems engineering and hardware design. The initiative encompasses more than 23,000 employees working at more than 50 sites, which project over $6 billion in sales for 2003.
The Level 5 and Level 3 capability and process maturity ratings were assessed using the Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement. The effort was led by the Software Productivity Consortium, a nonprofit initiative of industry, government and academia that focuses on the advancement of systems and software engineering productivity. The basis for the appraisal was the CMMI for Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, and Integrated Product and Process Development representation.
The appraisal, which was performed at the company's Baltimore facility, resulted in the first-ever awarding of four certificates. The CMMI standard was developed by a coalition of industry, government and SEI to assess objectively the full range of an organization's engineering capabilities. Higher maturity levels signify lower risks for successful program execution.
Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems and sensors, including airborne radar systems, navigation systems, electronic warfare systems, precision weapons, airspace management systems, air defense systems, communications systems, space systems, marine systems, oceanic and naval systems, government systems, and logistics services.
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