MELBOURNE, Fla., Jan. 20, 2009 -- The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract to execute a series of airborne information management demonstrations of the Advanced Information Management System (AIMS). The system will enhance combat effectiveness by providing the warfighter with new and improved access to information in a tactical environment.

This contract represents the next step in a two-year effort to take AIMS from the laboratory to the warfighter. During this phase, the AFRL and Northrop Grumman team will assess, modify and demonstrate the airborne information management capability using AIMS in support of major Air Force intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance platforms.

AIMS integrates AFRL's Joint Battlespace Infosphere Reference Implementation information broker and Northrop Grumman's Advanced Information Architecture(tm) fast recording and dissemination system. The capabilities provided by AIMS address information management requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense's Objective Gateway program. The AIMS contract is valued at $3 million.

By integrating these systems, AIMS provides warfighters with critical information on demand, through existing operational communications. AIMS provides real-time recording, cataloging, and brokering of information at nodes across the battlespace. The AIMS capability enables warfighters to search vast amounts of information from airborne platforms and download them to the ground to effect ongoing and future operations.

"Providing real-time information is an essential capability for our warfighters across the battlespace," said Richard Wassmuth, Northrop Grumman program manager. "The AIMS service-oriented architecture of airborne and ground federated servers provides even single warfighters operating in remote locations access to historic and newly acquired battlefield information generated by a multitude of sensors within their mission area. This means of immediate information collection, management and distribution is a force multiplier during combat operations and essential for effective and timely battlefield coordination and situational awareness."

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. 

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