Northrop Grumman Expands Composites Manufacturing Training for Major Turkish F-35 Supplier

Hands-on training helps Turkish Aerospace Industries prepare for its role as a second source supplier for jet's center fuselage

EL SEGUNDO, California, March 9, 2010 - Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is adding momentum to Turkish
Aerospace Industries, Inc.'s (TAI) readiness to build complete center
fuselages for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft by teaching its engineers how to
build the complex composite structures used in the jet.

Photos accompanying this release are available at
media.globenewswire.com/noc/.

From Jan. 18 to Feb. 12, the company conducted rigorous classroom and
hands-on training at its Advanced Composites Center in El Segundo for more
than a dozen engineers and manufacturing specialists from TAI. The training
was the third in a planned series of classes designed to teach TAI employees,
ultimately, how to build a complete F-35 center fuselage.

"To date, TAI has made great progress in learning the tools and
techniques of composites manufacturing," said Mark Tucker, vice president and
F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "The
recent training helped solidify their understanding of how to successfully
produce and handle the actual composite inlet ducts used in the F-35."

TAI is a second source supplier of F-35 center fuselages to Northrop
Grumman, a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 industry team.
The Turkish company is slated to produce 400 center fuselages for the program
beginning in the low rate initial production phases.

Guided by Northrop Grumman F-35 subject matter experts, the training
engaged the TAI employees actively in the production of forward and aft inlet
ducts for the jet. It included learning how to use the complex fiber
placement mandrels that define the shape of the ducts; operating the machines
that perform the actual fiber placement process; preparing the ducts for
curing; performing post cure processing; and machining and conducting a final
inspection of the completed parts.

According to Tucker, one of the parts that the TAI team helped produce -
a forward inlet duct - will be integrated into one of the first major
structural assemblies to be produced at TAI's new F-35 assembly facilities in
Ankara, Turkey later this year.

For Turker Dolek, a senior member of the TAI group, the benefits of the
training extended far beyond simply refining and maturing their F-35
composite manufacturing skills.

"What we are also learning from Northrop Grumman is how to handle and
manage manufacturing problems," explains Dolek. "We're very impressed that
the company is encouraging all of its suppliers to bring their best effort to
the program. All of the Northrop Grumman employees on the program are doing
their best. We're very honored to be part of this project."

The TAI training is part of Northrop Grumman's on-going commitment to
help expand international participation in the F-35 program, build a reliable
global supply chain, and help Lockheed Martin transition the program
successfully from its current system development and demonstration phase into
the LRIP and full-rate production phases.

Northrop Grumman is responsible for designing and producing the center
fuselage for all three variants of the F-35. The company also designed and
produces the aircraft's radar and other key avionics including
electro-optical and communications subsystems; develops mission systems and
mission-planning software; leads the team's development of pilot and
maintenance training system courseware; and manages the team's use, support
and maintenance of low-observable technologies.

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.

Brooks McKinney, APR, +1-310-331-6610, mobile, +1-310-864-3785, brooks.mckinney at ngc.com, or Ken Beedle (London), +44-207-747-1910, cell, +44-7787-174092, Ken.beedle at euro.ngc.com, both of Northrop Grumman Corporation