SAN DIEGO, Jan. 31, 2011 -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract to demonstrate information interoperability among different implementations of service-oriented architecture (SOA) information technology (IT) systems across the air and space command and control domains.

Under the contract awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site, Rome, N.Y., Northrop Grumman will conduct technology experiments to show methods that allow distributed SOA-based IT infrastructures to operate as a larger, virtually integrated command and control (C2) system. The company will explore community of interest-based data models, information protocols and message exchange standards so that specified services can be best accessed and managed across the enterprise. Northrop Grumman will also examine evolving information technologies and common integrated C2 operational threads within and across the air and space warfighting domains.

"This research will enable coordination and synchronization of information and application services to meet the demands of warfighting missions," said Mike Twyman, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "By partnering with Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site, we will jointly recommend and demonstrate novel strategies to manage and orchestrate data flow and content delivery across the realms of air and space command and control."

Northrop Grumman is a leading provider of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems for the U.S. Department of Defense. The company has extensive experience with tactical air operations, command and control systems and interoperable communications systems. Northrop Grumman has pioneered open systems standards for 30 years including the development of Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment and the Modular Open Systems Approach – Competitive TM model.

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