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Full-Scale Model of Northrop Grumman's X-47A Pegasus Unmanned Demonstration Aircraft on Display at Museum

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Aug. 24, 2001 -- A full-scale model of Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) X-47A Pegasus experimental unmanned vehicle, on loan from the company, will be on display at the Naval Air Museum, Patuxent River, Md.

The X-47A, built with company funds by Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, will demonstrate the suitability of autonomous operation from an aircraft carrier. The results of Pegasus flight demonstrations later this year will be used in the company's ongoing work on a naval unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV-N).

"We're confident the Pegasus flight demonstrations will support future development of unmanned combat aircraft," said Scott J. Seymour, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems sector vice president-Air Combat Systems. "However, as an experimental aircraft, the X-47A already has a place in aviation history."

At a ceremony today in Patuxent River, Md., Mr. Seymour presented the 28-foot-wingspan model to Henry Bonner, director of the Naval Air Museum. Adm. John Chenevey, the Navy's program executive officer for Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation and Adm. Gus Eggert, retired, serving as the current president on the Board of Directors for the Naval Air Museum also was present.

Pegasus received the X-47A designation from the U.S. Air Force in July, shortly before the vehicle was completed. The experimental designation acknowledges Pegasus' significance as a program that will advance challenging aviation concepts.

Under its UCAV-N contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Navy, Northrop Grumman is performing trade studies, analysis and preliminary design. The goal of the joint DARPA/Navy project is to demonstrate the technical feasibility for a UCAV-N system to effectively and affordably conduct sea-based 21st century suppression of enemy air defenses, strike and surveillance missions within the emerging global command and control architecture.

Other Northrop Grumman unmanned systems include the Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical UAV for the Navy; the Global Hawk high-altitude, long endurance reconnaissance system; the Miniature Air-Launched Decoy for the Air Force; and the Watchkeeper tactical UAV for the U.K. Ministry of Defence.

Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, based in Dallas, Tex., is a premier aerospace systems integration enterprise. Integrated Systems has the capabilities to design, develop, integrate, produce and support complete systems, as well as airframe subsystems, for airborne surveillance and battle management aircraft, early warning aircraft, airborne electronic warfare aircraft and air combat aircraft.

Contacts:

Northrop Grumman Corporation
Jennifer Canaff
(310) 331-5957