RESTON, Va., April 27, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) recently implemented a major software release for the Defense Travel System (DTS), enhancing and expanding functions and features for Department of Defense travelers and travel administrators.
Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector rolled out the "Monroe" release, the fourth in a series of significant software upgrades named after U.S. presidents, over the April 1 weekend. A record number of users -- 42,500 -- logged on to DTS on Monday, April 3, with response time remaining at about one second to display each of the 3.4 million Web pages requested.
Monroe introduces several major new functionalities into DTS, including a completely redesigned internal budget module that tracks all approvals and provides reports to facilitate reconciliation with official accounting records. Additional capabilities include improved reporting of personal leave while on official travel; automation of travel debt management; group travel improvements; system audits to track changes to key personal data; and an automated interface for the expenditure authority for Foreign Military Sales travel.
Monroe also sets the stage for the release of more than 30 significant user-requested changes over the next 45 days. Among the pending changes proposed to enhance the DTS system are two new methods to look up TDY (temporary duty) locations, improved hotel and rental car displays, cancellation-procedure changes, trip templates for the frequent traveler, improved routing for official functions, and increased administrative reporting.
"The added benefits of Monroe are now available to more than 925,000 military and civilian Defense Department employees at over 7,000 sites worldwide, who can connect to DTS from any computer, using the Common Access Card, anytime, anywhere in real time," said Rich Fabbre, DTS program manager at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "Northrop Grumman will continue to focus on providing the Defense Department and its employees with the best possible travel system. This significant milestone is the beginning of the bright future for DTS that we all very much look forward to."
DTS is a Web-based, secure, end-to-end system that automates authorizations, reservations, voucher processing, payment and archiving for Defense Department travel transactions. It replaces manual travel administration with automated solutions, reducing travel costs, preventing waste and abuse, simplifying travel management, and improving customer service.
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service estimates that DTS can save $35 million in processing costs in fiscal year 2006 alone. The government projects that the system will generate $178 million in productivity savings and reduce other costs by $56 million per year when fully deployed.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With approximately 125,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.