 | |
 Northrop Grumman developed and built theB-2 Spirit strategic bomber. | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace,defense |
| Predecessors | |
| Founded | 1994; 31 years ago (1994) |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Kathy J. Warden (President andCEO) |
| Revenue |  US$41.03 billion (2024) |
| US$4.370 billion (2024) | |
| US$4.173 billion (2024) | |
| Total assets | US$49.36 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | US$15.29 billion (2024) |
Number of employees | c. 100,000 (2025)[1] |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes / references [2] | |
Northrop Grumman Corporation, headquartered inWest Falls Church, Virginia, is an Americanaerospace anddefense company that designs and manufactures systems for aeronautics, defense, missions, and space. The company is the5th largest contractor of the U.S. federal government; it receives over 2% of total spending by thefederal government of the United States on contractors.[3][4][5]
The company's Aeronautics Systems division (29% of 2024 revenues) develops theB-21 Raiderstrategic bomber that can drop conventional andthermonuclear weapons (forecasted to be ready for combat in 2029), theB-2 Spiritstrategic bomber (which will be replaced by the B-21), fuselage and radar production for theLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIJoint Strike Fighter andF/A-18 Super Hornet,Grumman E-2 Hawkeyeairborne early warning and control,MQ-4C Tritonunmanned aerial vehicle, and theNATOAlliance Ground Surveillance Force.[2] The company's defense systems division (19% of 2024 revenues) designs the modernization of theintercontinental ballistic missile system including theLGM-35 Sentinel, theIntegrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System,Vinnell training, and theM1156 precision guidance kit.[2] The company's mission systems division (25% of 2024 revenues) creates military radar, sensors, and related products, includingC4Iradar systems forair defense, Airspace Management radar systems such asAWACS,Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program,night vision goggles,Airport Movement Area Safety System, and battlefield surveillance systems like the Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL). Tactical aircraft sensors include theAN/APG-68 radar, theAN/APG-80Active electronically scanned array radar, and theAN/APG-83 AESA radar upgrade for theF-16 Fighting Falcon, theAN/APG-77 AESA radar for theF-22 Raptor, and theAN/APG-81 AESA radar for the F-35 Lightning II, and theAN/AAQ-37 electro-optical Distributed Aperture System (DAS) for the F-35, and the APQ-164 Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) radar for theB-1 Lancer.[2] The company's space systems division (27% of 2024 revenues) developsSatcomcommunications satellites,Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites, theCygnusuncrewed spacecraft, motors for theNASASpace Launch System, logistics support for theLunar Gateway,Graphite-Epoxy Motorsolid rocket boosters, and satellites for theNorwegian Space Agency.[2]
The company is ranked 110th on theFortune 500 list of America's largest corporations.[6] In 2024, 87% of the company's revenues came from the federal government of the United States, while 12% was from international sources.[2]
Northrop Grumman and its industry partners have won theCollier Trophy nine times, including for the development and production of theJames Webb Space Telescope, aspace telescope launched in 2021.[2]
The company was formed in 1994 through the merger ofNorthrop Corporation andGrumman Aerospace.
Northrop Grumman can trace its lineage back to the beginning of the 20th century when the Grumman Corporation was founded onLong Island, New York. Here, Leroy R. Grumman established the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in December 1929.[8] By 1939, the company has expanded and relocated to Bethpage, New York.[8] Among Grumman's well known naval aviation products was theF-14 Tomcat.[9] DuringWorld War II the company built most US Navy aircraft, including theTBF Avenger,[10]F4F Wildcat,[11] andF6F Hellcat.[12] After the war it branched out into making the firstaluminumcanoes using left-over materials no longer needed for aircraft. Later the firm created a myriad of products such asballistic missiles, all-weather radars, theApollo Lunar Module, land and sea-basedfighter aircraft andStealth bombers.[13]
Founded in California in 1939 byJack Northrop, theNorthrop Corporation was reincorporated in Delaware in 1985.[14] Northrop made a series of light-weight fighter aircraft such as theF-5,YF-17, andF-20. However, Northrop was best known for its experimental flying wing aircraft, theXB-35 andYB-49 of the late 1940s and early 1950s. These flying wing aircraft, while unsuccessful, would pave the way for theB-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, on which Northrop was the prime contractor.[15][16] During World War II, Northrop made theP-61 Black Widow, the first aircraft designed as a night fighter.[17] After the end of theCold War, Northrop made a series of acquisitions, buyingGrumman Aerospace, Westinghouse andTRW Inc. in addition to a number of other enterprises.[13][18]
In 2018, Northrop Grumman completed the purchase ofOrbital ATK, which was renamed to Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.[19] Innovation Systems was integrated into other parts of the business in a reorganization the following year.[20]
In 1994, Northrop Aircraft boughtGrumman Aerospace, which built theApollo Lunar Module[21] to create Northrop Grumman (NG) at a cost of $2.1 billion.[22] After 1994, Northrop Grumman made several major acquisitions, includingVought,[23] Logicon,[24]Xetron Corporation,[25] the defense electronics business ofWestinghouse Electronic Systems,[26] andRyan Aeronautical.[27]
Northrop has competed in theAdvanced Tactical Fighter program, submitting theYF-23 to compete against theF-22 Raptor in 1991.[28]
Northrop partnered with Lockheed on the F-35 and serves as a principal member of the Lockheed Martin industry led team.[29]
In 1998, a merger between Northrop Grumman and competitorLockheed Martin was considered but abandoned after resistance from the Department of Defense and Department of Justice.[30] That same year, it acquired Inter-National Research Institute Inc. In 1999, the company acquiredTeledyne Ryan, developer of surveillance systems and unmanned aircraft, California Microwave, Inc., and the Data Procurement Corporation.[31][32][33] In 1999, Northrop Grumman andSAIC created AMSEC LLC as a joint venture, which grew "from $100 million in revenue in 2000 to approximately $500 million in fiscal year 2007."[34]
In 2000, NG acquired Federal Data Corporation, Navia Aviation As, Comptek Research, Inc., and Sterling Software, Inc.[35]
In 2001, the company acquiredLitton Industries, a shipbuilder and defense electronics systems provider for theU.S. Navy.[36] During the acquisition process, a new Delaware holding company,NNG, Inc., was formed, which merged with Northrop Grumman through a one-for-one common shares exchange in April 2001. Both Northrop Grumman and Litton became subsidiaries of the new holding company. The original Northrop Grumman Corporation then changed its name to "Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation"; the holding company, NNG, Inc., changed its name to "Northrop Grumman Corporation". Later that year, Northrop Grumman acquiredNewport News Shipbuilding.[37]
In 2002, Northrop Grumman acquiredTRW Inc.[38] Northrop incorporated TRW's space and laser capabilities and system manufacturing infrastructure into its newly created Space Technology sector based inRedondo Beach, California (Space Park[39]), and the Mission Systems sector based inReston, Virginia.[40]
In July 2003, the company received a $48 million contract to train theIraqi Army.[41]
In August 2005, theUnited Kingdom paid $1.2 billion in a contract with the company to provide maintenance of its AWACS radar.[42]
In November 2005, the company won a $2 billion contract withVirginia to overhaul most of the state's IT operations.[43]
On January 1, 2006, Northrop Grumman opened its business sector called 'Technical Services'.[44] Northrop Grumman andBoeing collaborated on a design concept forNASA's upcomingOrion spacecraft (previously the Crew Exploration Vehicle), but the contract went to rivalLockheed Martin on August 31, 2006.[45]
In 2006, Northrop Grumman had intended to bid for the U.S. Air Force'sNext-Generation Bomber. Though it has not built a large manned aircraft since wrapping up B-2 Spirit production in the 1990s, the company has "been working hard to turn that perception around, with the skills and capabilities that back it up."[46] However, by 2009, the teams working on that project were dispersed, as USAF's focus turned to a long-range strike instead. Northrop Grumman was one of two teams competing for theLong Range Strike Bomber, and in October 2015 won that contract.[47][48]
On July 20, 2007, Northrop Grumman became the sole owner ofBurt Rutan'sScaled Composites.[49]
In 2007, Northrop Grumman created 'National Workforce Centers' as an alternative tooffshoring.[50] Locations areAuburn, Alabama;Corsicana, Texas;Fairmont, West Virginia;Helena, Montana;Johnstown, Pennsylvania; andLebanon, Virginia. TheRapid City, South Dakota location closed in January 2012.[51]
In August 2007, Northrop Grumman acquiredScaled Composites in which it had previously owned a 40% stake.[52]
In June 2008, Northrop Grumman began working with DHS Systems LLC, manufacturer of the Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH) in New York, as part of the U.S. Army's Standard Integrated Command Post System program.[53]
In July 2008, three of four Northrop Grumman employees (Thomas Howes,Marc Gonsalves andKeith Stansell) were freed duringOperation Jaque after five years of captivity following their 2003 aircraft crash in the Colombian jungle.[54] The fourth employee, Tom Janis, had been killed by theFARC shortly after the crash.[55]
In March 2011, Northrop Grummanspun off its Shipbuilding unit asHuntington Ingalls Industries.[56]
In July 2013, Northrop Grumman won a training-simulation contract potentially worth $490 million to support theU.S. Air Force's next-generationaerial warfare virtual-training network.[57]
In 2015, Northrop Grumman won a contract for the DARPATactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) program.[58]
In March 2015, the company delivered the first shipset for AustralianEA-18G Growler.[59]
In October 2015, the US Military awarded Northrop Grumman the contract for the successor to theB-1 andB-52, subsequently identified as theB-21. The initial value is $21.4 billion, and could eventually be worth up to $80 billion.[60]
In September 2017, Northrop announced the acquisition of missile and rocket manufacturerOrbital ATK Inc for $9.2 billion: $7.8 billion in cash plus $1.4 billion in net debt.[61] On November 29, 2017, the acquisition was approved by Orbital ATK stockholders[62] and on June 6, 2018, the merger closed after final FTC approval. The acquired company assets and naming were absorbed and become a division named Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.[63]
In January 2018, Northrop Grumman became the primary contractor for theJames Webb Space Telescope.[64][65]
On June 7, 2018, the acquisition ofOrbital ATK was completed, and it was absorbed in Northrop Grumman as a new business sector called Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.[66][67]
Effective January 1, 2020, the NGIS division was split, with most of the sector merging with other Northrop Grumman businesses into a new Space Systems sector.[68][69]
In June 2020, NASA granted a $935 million contract to Northrop Grumman for theLunar GatewayHabitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, based on itsCygnus cargo spacecraft.[70] In July 2022, Northrop subcontractedSolstar to provide the wireless-enabling technology to enable a Wi-Fi access for employees and equipment in the module.[71][72]
In September 2020, Northrop ended development of theOmegA space launch vehicle, intended to carry the U.S. government'snational security satellites into space.[73]
In September 2020, Northrop Grumman won a $298 million sole-source contract for the Evolved Strategic Satcom program, an anti-jam communications satellite program intended to replace the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite program where Northrop Grumman was a subcontractor toLockheed Martin.[74][75]
In February 2021, Northrop sold its federal IT and mission support business toVeritas Capital for $3.4 billion.[76][77]
In March 2021, NASA awarded Northrop Grumman the contract to develop the Mars Ascent Propulsion System for aMars sample-return mission.[78] Northrop designed asolid-fueled rocket to launch samples collected by thePerseverance rover from Mars to Earth.[79]
In August 2022, Northrop Grumman announced it was moving production of the engines and structures for itsAntares rockets to the U.S. from Russia and Ukraine in partnership with Texas-basedFirefly Aerospace.[80] Northrop Grumman and Firefly Aerospace are jointly producing an upgraded version of the Antares rocket, theAntares 330.[80]
Northrop Grumman'sB-21 Raider entered test flights in 2023,[81] with the goal of delivering the first plane by the end of the decade.[82]
On September 15, 2023, Northrop Grumman wassanctioned by the Chinese government due to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.[83]
In May 2024, Northrop Grumman unveiled the Manta Ray, anunderwater drone developed for the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA). The drone, which resembles its namesake sea creature, was designed to carry out long-duration, long-range military missions, including extended loitering on the sea bottom.[84] The craft uses two four-bladed propellers on the wings to enhance the propulsion provided by its gliding system, which glides forward while moving up and down in the water column by changing its buoyancy.[85] With an emphasis on minimal human oversight, the creation of the Manta Ray represents a significant advancement in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) technology.[84]
In September 2024, Northrop Grumman won the U.S.Missile Defense Agency (MDA) competition to develop and build the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).[86] In 2025, the company secured a contract with theU.S. Space Force to test in-spacesatellite refueling technology Northrop developed.[87] Northrop Grumman is also constructing ground stations to support theNext-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared program.[88] In May 2025, the company invested $50 million in space startup Firefly to support production of their "Eclipse" rocket.[89]
Northrop Grumman’s business is focused on developing new technology in various sectors, including land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains.[90] Formally, as of 2019 the company is divided into four operating sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems.[91]
Aeronautics Systems, headquartered inPalmdale, California,[92] produces military aircraft, autonomous systems,[91] and aerospace structures for the U.S. and other nations. Major products include theE-2D Advanced Hawkeye, anairborne early warning and control aircraft used by the U.S. Navy;[93] theB-2 Spirit, astrategic bomber introduced in 1988;[94] theB-21 Raider, a strategic bomber with a first flight in 2023;[95] and theMQ-4C Triton, ahigh-altitude long enduranceunmanned aerial system[96] for maritime surveillance.[97]
Mission Systems, headquartered inLinthicum, Maryland, creates military radar,[98] sensors,[99] andmicroelectronics likesemiconductor chips.[100] This unit developed theAN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar upgrade for theF-16 Fighting Falcon[101] and theAN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR).[102] It also developed the Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite, a tool to improve situational awareness and detect electronic threats against an aircraft.[103]
The Space Systems sector, headquartered inMcLean, Virginia,[104] provides space and launch systems to commercial and government customers.[105] Northrop Grumman's space operations include construction of the James Webb Space Telescope[105] and the construction and operation of theCygnus spacecraft that delivers supplies to theInternational Space Station.[106] The company is also creating theHabitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module for NASA'sLunar Gateway[107] and has begun development of theNext-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar (NGP) as part of efforts to modernize U.S.missile defense systems.[108]
Northrop Grumman producessolid rocket motors,[109] including forSpace Launch Systems[110] and forGraphite-Epoxy Motors,[111] and developed theGlide Phase Interceptor.[112] The company is a contractor for theSpace Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport and Tracking Layer.[113] In April 2025, theU.S. Space Force gave Northrop Grumman a contract for Elixir, a new mission to develop and demonstrate a satellite refueling capability.[114]
Northrop Grumman's Defense Systems unit encompasses products related to technology services,directed energy, information systems, and tactical weapons.[115] The company supplies the U.S. Army with itsIntegrated Battle Command System (IBCS), which operates on a modularopen systems architecture framework to network sensors and interceptors among different operators.[116] Other products of this unit include theLGM-35 Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program,[117]Bushmasterchain guns,[118] theAARGM-ERanti-radiation missile,[119] and theM1156 precision guidance kit.[120]
| Year | Revenue in mil. US$ | Operating income in mil. US$ | Total assets in mil. US$ | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014[121] | 23,979 | 3,196 | 26,545 | 64,300 |
| 2015[121] | 23,526 | 3,076 | 24,424 | 65,000 |
| 2016[121] | 24,508 | 3,193 | 25,614 | 67,000 |
| 2017[121] | 25,803 | 3,299 | 34,917 | 70,000 |
| 2018[122] | 30,095 | 3,780 | 37,653 | 85,000 |
| 2019[123] | 33,841 | 3,969 | 41,089 | 90,000 |
| 2020[124] | 36,799 | 4,065 | 44,469 | 97,000 |
| 2021[124] | 35,667 | 5,651 | 42,579 | 88,000 |
| 2022[125] | 36,602 | 3,601 | 43,755 | 95,000 |
| 2023[126] | 39,290 | 2,537 | 46,544 | 101,000 |
| 2024[2] | 41,033 | 4,370 | 49,359 | 97,000 |
From 1990 to 2003, before the merger with Grumman in 1994,Kent Kresa was theCEO of the company, who led the serial-acquisition strategy with a total of 15 additional acquisitions from 1994 to 2003, includingLitton,Logicon,Westinghouse's defense electronics business, Ryan Aeronautical andNewport News Shipbuilding, and TRW. He then retired in 2003 at age 65.
In 2003Ronald Sugar, the formerchief operating officer, took over as CEO.[127] Effective October 1, 2003, Sugar also served as the companychairman of the board.[128]
In January 2010,Wes Bush succeeded as CEO and became company president.[129]
In November 2015, Gloria Flach was named COO. She is the former president of the company's electric services sector.[130]
On July 12, 2018, Wes Bush announced that he would step down as CEO effective January 1, 2019, and would remain chairman of the board until July 2019. His successor isKathy J. Warden, who has served in numerous roles at the company, most recently president and COO.
As of July 22, 2022:[131]
Since 2011, Northrop Grumman's headquarters are inWest Falls Church, Virginia (previously Jefferson),unincorporatedFairfax County, Virginia.[132][133]
Prior to 2010, the company was headquartered inCentury City, Los Angeles,[134] but announced plans on January 4, 2010, to move to theWashington Metropolitan Area by 2011[135] to be closer to government customers.[136] CEO Wesley Bush stated that the company needed to be located close toCapitol Hill lawmakers and officials from intelligence and military communities.[137] Northrop Grumman considered sites inWashington, D.C., and in suburbs inMaryland andVirginia.[136] TheLos Angeles Business Journal wrote "In a way, the announcement was not a surprise" due to the trend of aerospace companies moving to the DC area, the fact that the new CEO is from West Virginia and that CEOs often move corporate headquarters to places that they want the headquarters located. A Los Angeles area economic development consultant described the move announcement as a "structural failure at all levels for Los Angeles County."[137]
District of Columbia economic development officials were "pitching the city's urban hipness and proximity to Capitol Hill power brokers" to Northrop Grumman. Maryland promoted its highly educated workforce and its large number of federal facilities, while Virginia marketed itself as a state with relatively low taxes.[138]
In July 2010, the company announced its purchase of an existing building in Fairfax County and its move in summer 2011. It planned to consolidate its Century City headquarters and its existingArlington County, Virginia, offices into the new headquarters. It employed about 40,000 in the Washington DC metropolitan area, including DC and surrounding Maryland and Virginia.[132]
Northrop Grumman was namedForbes's Company of the Year in 2002.[127] Forbes's announcement credited the company with "master[ing] the art of innovation."[139] As of 2019, the company is included onForbes' list of "America's Best Large Employers".[140]
Since 2005 Northrop Grumman credits itself with sponsoring educational programs[141] and donating thousands of dollars to various charities.[142][143]
Many members of the U.S. government have attended company events and spoken highly of the company and its contributions, for exampleJohn McCain.[144] In December 2007, Northrop Grumman Corporation was awarded theRon Brown Award for Corporate Leadership, the only presidential award recognizing companies for outstanding achievement in employee and community relations.[145]
In 2000, Northrop Grumman was designated a Primary Responsible Party under federalSuperfund laws at 13 hazardous waste sites and under state Superfund laws at eight sites.[146] The corporation has also been linked to 52 superfundtoxic waste sites.[147] Based on 2008 data, Northrop Grumman was the 62nd-largest corporate producer ofair pollution in the United States, per thePolitical Economy Research Institute of theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst. Northrop Grumman facilities released more than 23,798 pounds of toxic chemicals into the air in that year.[148]
In 2002, the Bethpage Community Park inBethpage, New York, owned by the company until the 1960s, was closed due to soil contamination withpolychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).[149] The company dumped cadmium, arsenic, chromium-tainted sludge, solvents, paints and PCBs at the site between 1949 and 1962.[149] Additionally, two toxic chemical plumes centered under Bethpage Community Park and other surrounding land formerly owned by Grumman or Northrop Grumman have spread to under neighboring houses.[149] In November 2013, the Bethpage Water District filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Northrop Grumman in Federal Court for the Eastern District of New York for contaminating the groundwater in Bethpage.[150][151]
In 2003, the company was among 84 parties with which theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency, theU.S. Department of Justice, and the state ofNew York reached an estimated US$15 million settlement for the rehabilitation of the Mattiace Petrochemical Company Superfund site inGlen Cove,Long Island.[152] In the same year, Northrop Grumman agreed to pay $33,214 after EPA inspectors foundhazardous waste violations at the Capistrano test site.[153]
As a response to many of the previous claims, the company has stood up as an organization for social responsibility.[citation needed] In 2008, Northrop Grumman launched its Environmental Sustainability program and an EHS Leadership Council, to advance its commitment to environmental performance both internally and externally. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory Project was launched to accurately quantify company-wide greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce the carbon footprint of Northrop Grumman operations, in anticipation of upcoming regulations.[154]
In October 2010, the company was named one of Computerworld's Top 12 Green-IT Organizations for its large-scale data center migration effort.[155]
In 2019, Northrop Grumman was named the US's largest corporate contributor to water pollution by thePolitical Economy Research Institute of theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst.[156]
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From 1990 to 2002, Northrop Grumman contributed $8.5 million to federal campaigns.[157] According toPolitical action committee (PAC) summary data compiled bySource Watch, the company gave US$1,011,260 to federal candidates in the 2005–2006 election cycle, compared to $10,612,837 given by all defense contractors in the same cycle.[158] This donation amount was only behind that of General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin in the defense industry. The majority of the contributions, 63%, went to Republicans.[159] Former Northrop Grumman Electronics Systems chiefJames G. Roche served as Secretary of the Air Force for two years under George W. Bush. Roche would eventually be nominated to head the Army, but withdrew his nomination among accusations of mismanaging a contract withBoeing and for failing to properly handle the Air Force sexual assault scandals of 2003.[160] According to CorpWatch, "at least seven former officials, consultants, or shareholders of Northrop Grumman" have held posts "in the Bush administration...including Deputy Secretary of DefensePaul Wolfowitz, Vice-Presidential Chief of Staff I.Lewis Libby, Pentagon ComptrollerDov S. Zakheim, andSean O'Keefe, director of NASA." Wolfowitz and Libby have both since left the government amid scandals.[161]
The company engages third-party lobbying firms in jurisdictions where it has interests. For example, in South Australia it works with lobbying firm CMAX Communications.[162]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Northrop was the target of several high-profile criminal and civil cases.[163]
In 1995, Robert Ferro, an employee for TRW Inc., a company Northrop Grumman acquired in 2002, discovered that satellite components manufactured for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) were faulty and likely to fail in operation. TRW suppressed Ferro's report of the problem and hid the information from the USAF, even after a satellite in space equipped with the faulty components experienced serious anomalies. Ferro later sued Northrop Grumman in federal court under the federalwhistle-blower law.[164]
In 1999, the company was sued for knowingly giving the Navy defective aircraft. This suit sought $210 million in damages.[165] Ten years later, on April 2, 2009, Northrop Grumman agreed to pay $325 million to settle the suit.[166] Ferro was awarded $48.8 million of the settlement. Northrop Grumman stated, "it believed that TRW had 'acted properly under its contracts' and that the company had substantive defenses against the claims."[167]
In 2001, federal investigators probed NG for fraud of more than $100 million, systematic overcharging for radar jammers and other high-tech devices used in the B-1 bomber, the F-15 fighter and the B-2 Stealth bomber.[168]In 2003, the company was sued for overcharging the U.S. government for space projects in the 1990s.[169] Northrop Grumman paid $111.2 million to settle out of court.[170]
From August 25 to September 2, 2010,Virginia's computer system operated by NG, under a $2.4 billion contract, experienced an outage which resulted in around 45,000 citizens not being able to renew their drivers licenses prior to their expiration. Computer systems for 26 of the state's 89 agencies were affected and GovernorBob McDonnell announced that some data may have been permanently lost.[171][172] In 2010 Northrop Grumman apologized for the outage, and agreed to fund an investigation.
In 2012, controversy began over Northrop Grumman'sIntegrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS), when it missed its first deadline. Since then, the system has had a number of controversial developments.[173] In 2016, aDirector, Operational Test and Evaluation found a number of major faults with the system, concluding it was "neither mature nor stable".[174]
Northrop Grumman'ssupply of weapons to Israel led to protests against the company during theGaza war, including blocking the entrances at facilities inSan Diego andPlymouth, Minnesota.[175][176][177][178] Students onhunger strike atBrown University named Northrop Grumman as a company to divest from.[179]
U.S. State Department investigators found thatLitton Industries, a subsidiary acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2000, had provided portions ofsource code used by guidance and navigation system interfaces aboardAir Force One to a company in Russia in 1998. Northrop Grumman agreed to pay a $15 million fine for 110 violations, occurring between September 1998 and November 1998, of theArms Export Control Act and theInternational Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).[180]
Additionally, documents filed by the State Department state that between 1994 and 2003, Northrop Grumman failed to notify the U.S. State Department about the computer guidance systems also being transferred toAngola,Indonesia,Israel,China,Ukraine andYemen.[181]
Having lost the battle with Raytheon, Northrop Grumman agreed in late 1997 to be acquired by Lockheed Martin for $11.6 billion. The deal was abandoned by Lockheed in July 1998 when it became apparent that the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense were determined to prevent the merger, which would have given Lockheed a monopolistic position in key defense technologies.
Global Headquarters Northrop Grumman Corporation 2980 Fairview Park Drive Falls Church, VA 22042- Even though the postal address says "Falls Church, VA", the place is physically in theWest Falls Church, Virginiacensus-designated place inFairfax County.See map here.
The settlement will have the [Bethpage Water District] receiving $20 million from the United States government and $29 million from Northrop Grumman to treat chemicals that leaked from the Naval Weapons Reserve Plant in Bethpage and the former Grumman site, removing financial burdens from taxpayers for this expensive treatment process.
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