MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 16, 2011 -- A team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has submitted its bid for the U.S. Air Force's Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) modernization program.

The Air Force Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., issued a request for proposals Dec. 16, 2010, for the AOC Weapon System program, which is valued at more than $800 million over the next eight years. The program is a weapon system modernization effort to integrate mission services into a common computing environment built upon a network-centric infrastructure. The AOC Weapon System program will significantly enhance the speed of command for planning and execution of air and space force operations and enable more effective, dynamic planning for irregular warfare or counterinsurgency operations for the Air Force.

"The Northrop Grumman design focuses on an integrated AOC Weapon System for our warfighters," said Mike Twyman, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "Our plan is centered on rapidly delivering capabilities and providing a composable system to support the full spectrum of operations."

Northrop Grumman's AOC Weapon System warfighter test and integration laboratory is located in Newport News, Va. The company will use the facility for close collaboration with Air Force personnel to deliver a fully integrated and tested AOC Weapon System solution.

The Northrop Grumman-led team includes Accenture, Reston, Va.; Intelligent Software Solutions, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Applied Minds, Glendale, Calif.; Bosh Global Services, Newport News, Va.; DMM Ventures, Yorktown, Va.; and Layer 7 Technologies, Washington, D.C.

The AOC Weapon System program will minimize information technology footprint and integrate more than 40 independent programs into a common computing infrastructure. The program will optimize a net-centric implementation for centralized command and control (C2) and decentralized execution.

"We're bringing decades of experience pioneering airborne networking and applying advanced software technology to military C2. The use of our MOSA-C™ (Modular Open Systems Approach – Competitive™) model will make certain a flexible, interoperable and efficient architecture that facilitates the integration of third-party applications and allows continuous lifecycle refresh and competition," said Twyman.

Northrop Grumman's MOSA-C™ is a strategic business and engineering process that realizes the lifecycle benefits of open-systems architecture and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and software. The MOSA-C™ process ensures enduring solutions that improve interoperability and lower the total cost of ownership.

Northrop Grumman Corporation 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. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information. 

  CONTACT: Sudi Bruni
         Northrop Grumman Information Systems
         (858) 592-3407
         sudi.bruni@ngc.com