BETHPAGE, N.Y., April 10, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tom Vice of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been elected chair of the Applied Science Center of Innovation and Excellence in Homeland Security (CoIE). Vice is sector vice president and general manager, Battle Management and Engagement Systems Division, for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector, a provider of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile systems and advanced technologies critical to the nation's security.
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Vice leads programs in airborne early warning, airborne ground surveillance, electronic warfare, maritime systems integration, broad area maritime surveillance and coastal warfare, airborne mine countermeasures, and battle management systems to support the military on the sea, the ground, and in the air. Key programs include the E-2C Hawkeye and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, E-8C Joint STARS, BAMS UAS, EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler. His organization also works on a number of advanced development programs that offer innovative future solutions to meet emerging customer needs, including homeland security. Vice also leads the team providing aircraft production and modifications, and flight test services for a variety of customers in St. Augustine, Fla.
"I'm honored to lead the Applied Science Center of Innovation and Excellence in Homeland Security. This center will help to elevate Long Island's technology leadership position and, most importantly, create new high technology jobs over time," Vice said. "Our mission is to close the gap between fledgling technology development programs and the deployment of fully integrated homeland security solutions to the public safety organizations that need them. Whether we are integrating sensor technology to detect bio-pathogens in our major ports, improving communication networks between our first responder communities during a major hurricane or other state or national emergency, or working through disaster response simulations, this center will enable tens of thousands of people to be more prepared."
"We're honored to have Tom leading our board. His experience and credentials will help us to reach that next level of growth and innovation," said Ken Morrelly, president of the Long Island Forum for Technology, the non-profit technology organization, which founded the CoIE.
The center is currently under construction and is expected to open in late 2009. It was funded in part by a $25 million grant from New York State Senator Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Center).
In addition to functioning as the homeland security research and development center for Long Island, the CoIE will be linked with companies and institutions across New York State and nationally. Morrelly said the center's dual-purpose design also enables it to serve as an integrated homeland security emergency operations center for the entire region. "It will feature a 27,000-square-foot command center with secure conference rooms, robust communications capabilities, and an auditorium for first responder briefings and trainings, as well as media briefings. About 20 companies and organizations, including Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems' Homeland Security Group, are expected to be housed in the new CoIE facility," he added.
Northrop Grumman Corporation provides integrated homeland security solutions for a variety of federal, state, local and international customers, and 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.
