HOLLYWOOD, Md., April 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) opened a new office here to provide dedicated programmatic, engineering and logistics support for Northrop Grumman-produced unmanned air systems (UAS) currently under contract with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md.
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"Northrop Grumman is committed to working in partnership with our Navy customers to ensure the continued and long-term success of their UAS programs," said Scott Seymour, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "By establishing a local office near NAS Patuxent River, we can quickly provide world-class support to our customers when they need it most."
Current Northrop Grumman programs contracted by NAVAIR include:
* Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration: Provides high-altitude, multi-sensor, long-endurance, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection capability to develop maritime concept-of-operations. * MQ-8B Fire Scout: Provides real-time video imagery and communications-relay capability to gather intelligence, assess battle damage and provide precision targeting while embarked on the Littoral Combat Ships. * X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS): Will provide survivable, persistent intelligence gathering and time sensitive targeting/ strike capabilities. Currently a competitive bid for the U.S. Navy's UCAS Demonstration program. * BQM-74E/F: Turbojet-powered aerial targets that emulate anti-ship cruise missiles and simulate aircraft for training naval personnel in air-to-air combat and surface-to-air warfare.
"Our executives, program directors and engineers will be on-site to meet the Navy's immediate needs in a timely and expert manner. We will provide the Navy direct access to all of Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems resources," added Gene Fraser, vice president for the company's Unmanned Systems centers and site leader for the new office.
The new unmanned systems office will be co-located with the company's Decision, Support and Targeting facility on Airport View Drive in Hollywood. Northrop Grumman has unmanned systems offices at locations around the country:
* Unmanned Systems Development Center, San Diego: UAS design, development and integration; program management for all systems * Unmanned Systems Center, Moss Point, Miss.: RQ-4 Global Hawk subassembly and MQ-8B Fire Scout final assembly * Palmdale Manufacturing Center, Palmdale, Calif.: RQ-4 Global Hawk and BQM-74 aerial target final assembly, integration and test; X-47B UCAS development * Northrop Grumman Operational Support Center, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.: Global Hawk operations support for the U.S. Air Force 9th Reconnaissance Wing
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 122,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
