US Navy Awards Northrop Grumman $35.1 Million Contract for Next Generation Jammer–Low Band Demonstration of Existing Technologies

BALTIMORE – Oct. 25, 2018 – The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) a $35.1 million, 20-month contract to demonstrate existing technologies for the low-band frequency jammer, the second increment of the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) program.

The U.S. Navy selected Northrop Grumman to demonstrate existing technologies for the Next Generation Jammer Low Band, which will fly on the EA-18G Growler to provide advanced airborne electronic attack capabilities. The NGJ system will give Growlers – including this aircraft assigned to the Cougars of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 – the ability to defeat increasingly advanced and capable threats, making the carrier strike group more survivable. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Bill M. Sanders/Released)

Northrop Grumman has been the Navy’s airborne electronic attack integrator for more than 50 years. In addition to its work on NGJ Low Band (NGJ-LB), the company continues to support the fleet with advanced electronic attack capabilities.

The NGJ system will augment, and ultimately replace the EA-18G Growler aircraft’s aging ALQ-99 tactical jammer with advanced airborne electronic attack capabilities for defeating increasingly advanced and capable threats. Developed in three frequency-focused increments – high-band, mid-band and low-band – NGJ will be capable of jamming multiple radar signals at the same time, including surveillance and air-defense radars.

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) selected Northrop Grumman for the NGJ-LB Demonstration of Existing Technology phase. The contract was awarded Oct. 25.

Northrop Grumman’s offer was selected based on technical merit and potential maturity for accomplishing the low-band mission. The company’s solution also provides rapid operational capability to the fleet.

“Northrop Grumman will deliver a mature, low-risk and exceedingly capable solution for Next Generation Jammer Low Band that outpaces evolving threats and enables the Navy’s speed-to-fleet path,” said Thomas Jones, vice president and general manager, airborne C4ISR systems, Northrop Grumman.

“Our NGJ-LB pod provides multi-mission capability for electromagnetic maneuver warfare. We stand ready to demonstrate advancements in this mission area and deliver ahead of schedule.”

Work primarily will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and Bethpage and Amityville, New York.

Northrop Grumman Begins Full-Rate Production of F-35 Lightning II Center Fuselage

PALMDALE, Calif. – June 29, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) center fuselage of the F-35 Lightning II recently entered full-rate production. This milestone marks the beginning of a 1.5-day production interval (PI) meaning a center fuselage will be produced every day and a half.

Northrop Grumman quality team performs final inspection of an F-35 center fuselage produced by the company at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.

“Our customers and warfighters deserve the best,” said Frank Carus, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop Grumman. “Every efficiency, every minute, and every dollar we save reduces costs and speeds up the F-35’s availability to the warfighter. Achieving this pace is a testament to our employees, suppliers and teammates’ commitment to quality and affordability.”

Carus also noted that the 400th F-35 center fuselage was completed and delivered to Lockheed Martin last month and production of the 500th F-35 center fuselage began last week.

“This pace of military aircraft production has not been seen in decades,” said Kevin Mickey, sector vice president and general manager, military aircraft systems, Northrop Grumman. “Our revolutionary approach on the integrated assembly line pairs advanced technology with data-driven analytics to manufacture advanced aircraft while delivering top quality products on time, and often ahead of schedule.”

A core structure of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the center fuselage is produced on Northrop Grumman's integrated assembly line (IAL) at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. The IAL is a state-of-the-art facility supported by technologies exclusive to or pioneered by Northrop Grumman bringing together robotics, autonomous systems, virtual 3D and predictive automation to the forefront of center fuselage production.

“As we prepare for full rate production of the F-35, many of our teammates and suppliers are now transitioning to full rate, aligning their production lead times with the F-35 final assembly that supports increased warfighter demand,” said Eric Branyan, vice president of F-35 supply chain at Lockheed Martin. “Northrop Grumman plays a critical role in the F-35 enterprise and we look forward to continuing to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and deliver transformational F-35 capabilities for the men and women in uniform.”

Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development and production of the F-35 weapons system. In addition to producing the jet's center fuselage and wing skins for the aircraft, the company develops, produces and maintains several sensor systems, avionics, mission systems and mission-planning software,  pilot and maintainer training systems courseware, electronic warfare simulation test capability, and  low-observable technologies.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Two Halves Powered for the First Time in One Building at Northrop Grumman

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – June 20, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has successfully powered up the two main parts of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, a significant event in the test and integration phase of the program.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope OTIS (far right) and SCE (far left) featured in Northrop Grumman’s Redondo Beach highbay.

The Webb Telescope’s Optical Telescope element/Integrated Science instrument module (OTIS) and Spacecraft Element (SCE), which includes the sunshield and spacecraft bus, were separately powered at Northrop Grumman’s facilities in Redondo Beach. This is the first time both halves were powered in the same building.

“This is a significant, first-time event for the program and for the team,” said Scott Willoughby, vice president and program manager, James Webb Space Telescope, Northrop Grumman. “To power both OTIS and SCE moves us one step closer to readying the Webb for the next integration steps.”

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope OTIS (far left) and SCE (mid picture) featured in Northrop Grumman’s Redondo Beach highbay.

In the highbay, engineers use external power supplies, similar to chargers, which convert wall power to a source compatible with the spacecraft. This power is used to turn on the spacecraft and provides power to simulate what it will eventually use on orbit. Once in space, Webb will use solar arrays to operate the bus subsystems as well as the Science Instrument Payload.

The Spacecraft Element recently underwent a successful mechanical shock test in May. It was tested by simulating the mechanical shock caused by the separation of the spacecraft’s payload adapter after launch. SCE will receive additional testing before being combined with the OTIS to form the complete James Webb Space Telescope observatory. Once the telescope is fully integrated, the entire observatory will undergo more tests during what is called observatory-level testing.

The James Webb Space Telescope will be the world’s premier space science observatory of the next decade. Webb will solve mysteries of our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.