WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Oct. 5, 2010 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Daniel Tazartes has been selected as a recipient of the 2010 Pioneer Award by the IEEE/Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS) for his innovative contributions to the field of inertial navigation technology.

The Pioneer Award, established in 1949, honors individuals who have made pioneering contributions to aerospace and electronic systems at least 20 years prior to the award year that are still in use today. In ceremonies during the IEEE/AESS AUTOTESTCON Conference on Sept. 16 in Orlando, Fla., Tazartes was honored for his work on the development of inertial instruments and algorithms which enable the mechanization of highly accurate strapdown inertial navigation systems.

"Dan Tazartes has made important contributions to the science of navigation technology throughout his career," said Charles Volk, vice president and chief technology officer of Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. "He is truly deserving of this recognition for groundbreaking work that stands the test of time."

Tazartes is the director of advanced technology in the engineering organization at Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division, part of the company's Electronic Systems sector. He joined the former Litton Industries, now part of Northrop Grumman, in 1984 and has held several technical and management positions focused on navigation technology development in his time with the company.

Tazartes earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. A prolific inventor, with over 55 issued U.S. patents to his credit and several others pending, he has also published numerous articles and reference texts on optical sensors for navigation and strapdown navigation technology.

Tazartes is a senior member of the IEEE and a member of the Institute of Navigation. He actively participates in the AESS Gyro and Accelerometer Panel, developing standards for inertial instruments and systems.

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:  Gina Piellusch
          Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems
          (818) 715-2285
          gina.piellusch@ngc.com