MELBOURNE, Fla., Nov. 22, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-led team's E-10A multi-sensor command-and-control aircraft program successfully completed its critical platform design review last week.

The review was intended to ensure all platform design requirements have been completely identified, and that the initial design by the customer/contractor team reflects those requirements. Northrop Grumman, which leads the industry E-10A weapon system integration team, hosted a series of meetings at its Melbourne facility leading up to the one-week review.

"Through a series of incremental design reviews culminating in this event, the team has confirmed the platform initial designs and analyses meet the requirements," said Wayne Stratford, program director for Northrop Grumman's E-10A Platform integrated product team. "We can now move forward into detail design activities to support a final design review and begin the aircraft modification effort."

The program's first airframe, a Boeing 767-400ER, was identified as the testbed aircraft and is currently in engineering development. The Boeing Company will deliver the basic, unmodified aircraft to the Melbourne facility in December 2007.

"This review completes a major program milestone and shows that the E-10A platform team is on track and moving forward," said Stratford.

Government officials from the Air Force's E-10A system program office and system management office, the joint test force, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and the Defense Contract Management Agency attended the platform design review meetings. Industry participation included the E-10A weapon system integration team, comprised of Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Raytheon Company as well as the Northrop Grumman/Raytheon multi-platform radar technology insertion program (MP-RTIP) team.

Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, the prime contractor for the E-10A weapon system integration and MP-RTIP programs, is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration enterprise. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., it designs, develops, produces and supports network-enabled integrated systems and subsystems for government and civil customers worldwide. Integrated Systems delivers best-value solutions, products and services that support military missions in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; space access; battle management command and control; and integrated strike warfare. 

  CONTACT:  Jim Stratford
          Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems
          (321) 726-7526
          jim.stratford@ngc.com