perform - northrop grumman corporation phase of the scoe was a live-air exercise during three weeks...

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news n announcements n podcasts n videos n articles

STAY IN THE KNOW WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

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Cover photo by Alan Radecki

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(r)departmentsOur performance culture is a learning culture on the F-35. It’s about helping your teammates, learning from each other, taking the initiative to solve problems together. That’s our secret sauce.

—Frank Carus Vice President and

F-35 Program Manager

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contentson the cover

(r)features 16 Getting It Done

18 The Big Picture

22 Advanced Manufacturing Spoken Here

24 In-Space Manufacturing and Assembly

26 Operation #PolarEye: Mission Success

28 The “Ade-Ladies:” Setting Up Shop In The Land Down Under

30 Be Like Norm ... “High-Performing Norm”

6 connections

8 letter from (r)editor

9 headlines

10 by the numbers

12 (r)heritage

20 (r)performance defined

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6 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

we continue to clear the path for you and your teams. Our job is to remove roadblocks so we can all do our jobs more efficiently and productively. And because evolution and culture go hand in hand, as we pursue profitable revenue growth, I anticipate seeing greater cohesiveness across all sector divisions. This will ideally reduce risk to the business through an even stronger spirit of teamwork and collaboration.

A new year is always an exciting time. Let’s embrace that excitement and commit to maximizing our incredible potential in 2018. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The best is yet to come, and you’re the ones who are going to make it happen. We need you. Our customers need you. Our nation needs you.

So let’s get to it.

2017 was a big year. Together, we faced challenges and embraced changes. And because of that, we are primed and ready to welcome 2018 with strength, confidence and an unrelenting focus on performance.

We talk a lot about the Value of Performance. But what does that really mean? Our values are what define our people, our energy and our passion for our customer’s mission as a sector and as a company. They’re about doing things the right way, acting with integrity and treating each other with respect. Our performance is about our relentless creativity and our disciplined approach to doing what we say we’re going to do — with quality and timeliness. It’s about getting it done.

In 2017, we renewed our focus on the Value of Performance, and you’ll see that focus strengthen in 2018. We’ve worked hard to enhance our Center

of Excellence model. We have co-located our teams in the right places, with direct lines to management, to enable effective and streamlined business decisions. And we’ll continue to grow in the right way. Our programs and products get better all the time, thanks to our unwavering commitment to first-time quality and relentless customer satisfaction.

We’ve made these changes to our business to help you — the people who every day reinforce our stellar reputation and instill customer confidence in the products we build and the promises we make. As a result, information flows to you more readily. Decision-making authority is closer at hand. Open-door policies are enhanced and day-to-day challenges get solved sooner.

Our sector’s business performance is literally in our hands. That’s why I want to make sure that, as leaders,

7

connections

Janis PamiljansCorporate Vice President and President, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems

PERFORMANCE:It’s In Our Hands20eighteen

(8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Letter from (r)editor

(r)evolution © 2018 Northrop Grumman Corporation

All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA

(r)evolution magazine is published for employees by Aerospace Systems Com-munications. Please contact Brooke Miner ([email protected]) for permission to reprint, excerpt material, request additional copies, or provide story ideas.

All photography courtesy of Northrop Grumman unless otherwise indicated.

Sector Vice President, Communications CynthiaCuriel

Editor in Chief PeteHaney

Executive Editor BrookeMiner

Departments Editor ChrisBoyd

Features Editor AnnCarney

Creative Director AdamUgolnik

Art Director AntoinetteBingZaté

Sector Advertising DarrellBrock

Northrop Grumman to Provide Complete Re- fresh of Ground-to-Air Radio Communications at London’s Heathrow AirportNorthrop Grumman’s U.K.-based air traffic management subsidiary, Park Air Systems, has supported National Air Traffic Services (NATS) with a total overhaul of its ground-to-air radio communication system at Heathrow Airport. This is the first of several planned replacement programs at U.K. airports.

The Park Air Sapphire system is now live and supports main, standby and emergency operations supplying reliable, safe and clear communications between pilots and air traffic control staff at the U.K.’s busiest airport.

The new generation of Park Air T6 radios is at the heart of this system. The Park Air T6 radio is a highly capable radio fully compliant with EUROCAE Interoperability Standards for VoIP ATM (ED-137). It is designed to meet stringent environmental demands with significantly lower power consumption and no haz- ardous material, meaning lower end-of-life disposal costs.

The Park Air Sapphire system at Heathrow also includes MARC Server, a configurable browser-based control and monitoring system allowing management of all the Sapphire assets from remote desktops or tablets.

Northrop Grumman’s Park Air Systems supplies communication systems for airspace operations worldwide. Park Air radios can be found in airports in 200 countries around the world.

— Ken Beedle

Northrop Grumman, U.S. Army Successfully Demonstrate Multi-domain, Joint Air and Missile DefenseThe Northrop Grumman–developed Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS), the foundation of the U.S. Army IAMD, has successfully demonstrated extraordinary capabilities for improving joint force operational effectiveness.

Following the first phase of the IBCS Soldier Checkout Event (SCOE) development test in August, the second phase of the SCOE was a live-air exercise during three weeks in October at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. Soldiers from Fort Sill, Okla., used IBCS to direct Army air and missile defense sensors and weapons to conduct complex, multi-

domain air defense operations. This effort was part of a higher-echelon joint task force with the Marine Corps.

“The preliminary analysis indicates all test objectives were accomplished,” said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, Missile Defense and Protective Systems, Northrop Grumman. “In an operational environment that included electronic attack, we showed the value of IBCS to resolve ambiguity in the air picture and deliver more accurate target tracking data to support joint integrated air and missile defense.”

A dozen airborne platforms were identified as “friend or foe” during the live-air SCOE. They included unmanned aircraft systems, fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, attack aircraft, tanker aircraft, early warn- ing aircraft, tilt-rotor aircraft and electronic attack aircraft.

The unprecedented capabilities demonstrated in this exercise confirm the effectiveness of a net-centric, enterprise approach to IAMD for getting capabilities to the warfighter that make a pivotal difference on the battlefield.

— Sudi Bruni

2017 was a busy year here at (r)evolution magazine HQ, starting last January when we hit the ground running with a refresh of the Aerospace Systems flagship publication. In large part, this revamp was made possible by then–Enterprise Communications Director Yolanda Murphy.

As you may have heard, Yolanda has since been promoted to Vice President of Communications for Technology Services. Although she will be sorely missed, I’m excited to see what the future holds for this magazine, now being produced under the capable leadership of Communications Strategy Director Pete Haney, with Vice President of Communications Cynthia Curiel still at the helm.

As for 2018, we’re kicking it off with an issue dedicated to a topic near and dear to all our hearts: performance. In his recent Leadership Kickoff meeting series, Sector President Janis Pamiljans drove the point home time and time again — although our business strategy is built around six key priorities (learn all about them on p. 16), performance is truly the bedrock. To borrow a phrase from Janis himself, if we don’t perform, the other five priorities are merely interesting.

This is a theme you’ll see echoed throughout the year, not just in this magazine but in the films, Snapshot videos and podcasts we’ll produce alongside it. Have a great idea for a story (or a film, or an infographic, or a photo essay …)? Let us know at [email protected].

— Brooke Miner Executive Editor (r)evolution magazine

Contributors Gloria Sola

Editorial Board Ann Akutagawa, Chris Boyd, Darrell Brock,

Jessica Brown, Ann Carney, Warren Comer, Alex Evers, Steve Fisher, Matthew Garth,

Pete Haney, Daniel Hazard, Elizabeth McCann, Lindsay McLaurin, Brooke Miner, Dianne Baumert-Moyik,

Leona Mynes, Rhonda Nelson, Diane Pennington, Bonnie Poindexter,

Brooke Smitherman, Larry Stewart, Jaysen Turner, Adam Ugolnik,

AnnaMaria White, Antoinette Bing Zaté

9

headlines

by the numbers

NASA

NASA acquired these Global Hawks from the U.S. Air Force to support science customers and others who need access to a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) system. Northrop Grumman and NASA Armstrong created a partnership called the Space Act Agreement to operate Global Hawk missions from Armstrong.

NASA and Northrop Grumman share use of the ground control station, maintenance facilities and the aircraft. Northrop Grumman provides technical, engineering, maintenance and operations support. Most flights originate from NASA Armstrong, but some have been flown from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. In October 2017, a NASA plane became the first Global Hawk to fly into Hawaii, landing at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay.

2,459The number of sondes dropped from NASA Global Hawk to study hurricanes and tropical storms. A sonde is an instrument probe that transmits information about its surroundings — including temperature, barometric pressure and wind speed — in real time to NOAA and the National Hurricane Center in Florida.

116.2 feetThe wingspan of NASA Global Hawk, somewhat smaller than that of the latest Global Hawk delivered to the Air Force in November 2017.

8,500 nautical miles for 24 hours at up to 60,000 feetThese three numbers combine to make NASA Global Hawk a near-perfect platform for weather and climate research. The NASA

15%NOAA research shows data from NASA Global Hawk has the potential to improve hurricane forecasting accuracy by as much as 15 percent. In fall 2012, NASA Global Hawk studied the processes of hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean for Hurricane Leslie — the first of many flights to deliver critical weather data.

180 NASA Global Hawk has made a total of 180 flights, representing 2,234.2 total flight hours. These flights took place over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well as the Arctic, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and the first was recorded on Feb. 10, 2011. The first scientific mission was a study of the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Fitted with 11 science instruments, the Global Hawk acquired and transmitted data that had never been seen before.


GLOBAL HAWKBy Greg Lund

Global Hawk can travel 8,500 nautical miles during a mission, allowing it to conduct many orbits above a storm as it moves. Maintaining an altitude of up to 60,000 feet keeps the aircraft away from dangerous hurricane winds and enables a broad view for the sensors it carries. With the ability to stay airborne for 24 hours at a stretch, NASA Global Hawk provides a persistence in the air that is unmatched by manned aircraft.

NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base operates two developmental-model Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned aircraft for high-altitude, long-duration Earth science missions.

180flights

2,234.2flight hours

sondes dropped2,459

15%forecasting accuracy

feet60,000

0 10,000 ft

20,000 ft

30,000 ft

40,000 ft

50,000 ft

nautical miles8,500

hours24airborneup to

RQ-4A 116.2-foot wingspan

RQ-4B 130.9-foot wingspan

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(r)heritage

5 flight marked the first use of such an engine in rocketry history. There were continuing issues with the cabin windows, but since the Apollo 5 test flight would be unmanned, the windows were replaced with aluminum plates. In addition, to save weight, the landing gear legs were left behind. The Apollo 5 test flight was so successful that a planned follow-on test mission with lander LM-2 was deemed unnecessary, and the design was approved for manned missions.

The myriad parts were tested at the component level and again at the systems level. Apollo 5 tested the craft in an all-up configuration in every way but the two most critical ones: the landing and takeoff from the moon. There was just no way to flight test that aspect of the mission except to do it for real on Apollo 11, and that reality drove everyone. “This wasn’t just another flying machine. This was unusual. It had not been done before. And I think that’s something many engineers respond to,” Gavin says. “The fact is, there wasn’t a question in anybody’s mind that we were going to make it work, that we were not going to leave two astronauts on the moon, and that we were going to get them back safely.”

So, when Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon, and Mission Control received the now-famous radio call,

On the evening of Jan. 22, 1968, Cape Canaveral, Fla., lit up like midday as the Saturn 1B rocket of Apollo 5 leapt on a pillar of flame into the darkening sky. Onboard was one of the most significant spacecraft ever built by the United States — the spacecraft that would land mankind on another celestial body for the first time: the Grumman Lunar Expedition Module (commonly known as the lunar module, or LM).

This first flight of the LM was an unmanned test expedition. No one had ever built a vehicle like this before, and much about the craft represented new and emerging technology for the era.

Even NASA’s request for proposals didn’t stipulate a specific design or ask for one. As Joe Gavin, Grumman Lunar Expedition Module program manager, explains, “It was almost like a game of 20 Questions: You answer these questions, and if they thought you knew what you’re talking about, they’d talk to you later. Consequently, we tried to do that. So the preliminary design started from scratch, after the award.”

The way the mission was conceived had a big impact on how the design evolved, says Grumman LM Design Manager Thomas Kelly. “When the original idea of going to the moon

was conceived, NASA hadn’t really pinned exactly how they were going to go to the moon. The Lunar Orbit Rendezvous approach was selected because it was more economical. The command module could be specialized for atmospheric re-entry and aerodynamically shaped. In contrast, the LM could be specialized for operations in space and on the moon, where it has no aerodynamics to contend with and very little in the way of forces, either gravity or anything else.”

For the Grumman engineers, the technical challenge resulting from the contract win was almost overwhelming. Reflecting back on the project, Kelly says, “We didn’t know anything about space, any more than most people did at that time. But we did know a lot about producing reliable flying machines that had to operate in a very hostile and demanding environment. If you think about the skills that we had available from the aircraft design world, they were really very directly applicable to the design of the lunar module. Everything else was a logical extension of the aircraft designers’ desire to go higher, faster and farther.”

Size, and especially weight, drove much of the design of the LM. It had to be able to fit into the shroud sitting on top of the Saturn rocket and could not exceed some pretty strict weight criteria. Because it would only be occupied in weightless or moon-gravity conditions, the engineers decided that the astronauts didn’t need to be strapped in. They dispensed with the seats; the crew would fly standing up. To reduce the weight — and therefore the thrust needed for liftoff from the moon — all the hardware for the landing phase could be left behind. Thus, a two-part design was selected.

The crew cabin was essentially a shallow cylinder tipped up on edge, with the structure and equipment to support the vehicle’s systems attached around it. Since it didn’t have to operate in an atmosphere, it didn’t incorporate any of the design elegance that we normally associate with a sleek, aerodynamic craft. Two small triangular windows on the “front” of the LM would allow the astronauts to fly a visual approach to the moon’s surface.

To effect a controlled landing on the moon, the landing stage rocket motor needed to be throttleable. The Apollo


Photos courtesy of NASA

THE GRUMMAN LUNAR MODULE

TURNS 50

MOONBACK

TO THE

AND

By Alan Radecki

“HOUSTON, TRANQUILITY BASE

HERE, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED,”

THEY RESPONDED WITH: “ROGER,

TRANQUILITY, WE COPY YOU ON THE

GROUND. YOU GOT A BUNCH OF GUYS ABOUT TO

TURN BLUE. WE’RE BREATHING AGAIN —

THANKS A LOT!”

>> >> >> >> >>

15

“When the ascent happened, I think my heart stopped. And when it was in orbit, it was the time that I said, ‘Yes, now, now it has happened.’ I was very confident that we could rendezvous with the command and service module and get our astronauts home.”

Successfully performing as designed is one thing, but performing far beyond the design capability is another. The LM rose to the occasion in April 1970, when an explosion inside Apollo 13’s Service Module rendered the Command Module without power and thus uninhabitable. The mission’s LM, named Aquarius, had to serve as a lifeboat for the next several

The first big hurdle was passed, but there was one more to go. As Gavin says, “A lot of people ask me, ‘What was the most demanding moment of that first landing mission?’ To be sure, the landing was the sort of thing that made you hold the arm of the chair rather tightly, but to me, the takeoff was the most critical one. First of all, there are only two people there, getting it ready to go, and it was one of those things where either it worked or it didn’t work. And it had never really been demonstrated. All the other parts of the mission, you could find a back-out mode. But when you had to take off from the moon, that was it. It either worked or didn’t work. Well, it worked!”

Lynn Radcliffe, base manager for Grumman’s White Sands test site, says,

days until the crew could get around the moon and back to Earth. The spacecraft was designed to support a crew of two for up to 45 hours, but with some typical NASA ingenuity, it ended up supporting three men for 90 hours. Had the LM not been up to the challenge, the Apollo 13 accident would not have been survivable.

Fred Haise, one of the Apollo 13 astronauts, says,

“The spirit that I saw at Grumman in those days with the LM was to be almost willing to go to any end to make it right. The personal sacrifice, the hours that people were putting in — I’m sure that it was hard on home life.”The results of the successful moon landings were epochal, according to Gavin. “It had impacts in the edu- cational system. It inspired a whole generation of young people to be interested in high technology.”

Reflecting on the program, Kelly says, “There was a dedication and a drive on the lunar module program that I haven’t seen equaled since. I’ve seen it equaled in very small groups, but we’re talking about thousands of people here who were swept up in the enthusiasm and historic importance of this endeavor.”

And should anyone doubt the reality of the moon landing program, just look at what the astronauts left behind. “Remember,” Kelly says, “there are six of these descent stages today sitting on the moon … with a ‘Grumman Made in Bethpage, New York’ nameplate on them. And that’s something that thousands of us Grummanites take great pride in.”

(r)heritage

”

REMEMBER, THERE ARE SIX OF THESE DESCENT STAGES TODAY SITTING ON THE MOON … WITH A ‘GRUMMAN MADE IN BETHPAGE,

NEW YORK’ NAMEPLATE ON THEM. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT

THOUSANDS OF US GRUMMANITES TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN.

—THOMAS KELLY Grumman LM Design Manager


It’s an exciting time to be part of the Northrop Grumman team. We’re growing, expanding our capabilities and positioning ourselves for the future. At the same time, we’re focusing on the commitments we’ve made — the work that’s in front of us right now — and we’re doing what we’ve said we would.

Last year, Sector President Janis Pamiljans laid out six priorities to help us do just that (see facing page). These priorities haven’t changed for 2018, and they were the focus of the Leadership Kickoff meeting series that took place earlier this year.

From Jan. 16–19, Pamiljans and members of his executive leadership team traveled to four Centers of

16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 17

performance

DONEGETTING IT

Excellence — Space Park, Palmdale, San Diego and Melbourne — to discuss our sector’s business priorities for 2018.

During each meeting, functional vice presidents held frank panel discussions on what “operationalizing the business” means and how it’s playing out at Aerospace Systems sites across the country. Division general managers shared their thoughts on what it means to “play for the house” — and how that meaning evolves along with the business.

Underscoring it all was a strong focus on the six priorities that underpin our direction for the year. These priorities are about making sure we are putting

our people, energy and resources where they need to be, both for the short term and the long haul. They’re about taking a disciplined, balanced approach to the business. They’re about pulling together in the same direction, as a single, unified team with a shared vision and a common goal. And, above all — they’re about performance.

To learn more, visit The Hub — a new online feature where you can find the films from the Leadership Kickoff meetings, plus leadership news, an-nouncements, podcasts and more.

OURSITES.MYNGC.COM/AS/SECTOR/PRESIDENT

OneNG: Northrop Grumman is one team. We are all working to preserve freedom — protect sons and daughters — and advance human discovery. We are not just our sector or job title — we are more than the sum of our parts. We are OneNG. Magnet for Talent: At Northrop Grumman, our focus is on our talent. Whether it’s cultivating the talent that got us where we are today or attracting the most talented minds from outside the company, we want the best talent and the best leaders the world has to offer. Infrastructure and Operations: We’ve made changes to the way we do business so we can keep our leaders where they need to be. Our goal is to put the decision-making ability right where the work is — with you — so you can get the job done. Profitable Growth: As a company, it’s important to balance growth and the bottom line. So we’re doubling down to streamline our processes and keep resources within the efforts that provide the most value to our mission. Mission-Focused Investment: We’re investing in our future, and we’re being strategic about the way we do it. We’re putting money back into the business and keeping a disciplined and balanced approach to where our dollars go. Our performance will return the value of these investments. Performance: Performance means doing what we say we’re going to do. We have to consistently perform to deliver on our commitments, provide unquestionable quality and maintain our integrity. Our performance is what defines us as people, as teams, as a sector — and as a company.

concentration on competition, operation and next-generation technology. Additionally, current corporate goals include advancing Northrop Grumman’s position within the top industry realms of Autonomous, Manned and Space. There is also movement to not only increase our global footprint, but to redefine what it means to be a global enterprise. Those are tall orders, and as Pamiljans has made clear, the only way to get there is to have “the right people, in the right place, at the right time.”

Overall, recent organizational changes demonstrate that strategy, structure and people are the core elements that will guide Northrop Grumman into an amazing and revolutionary future. The strategy and structure are in place. Most of all, we continue to attract the best talent and, even more important, to develop and retain the people who got us where we are today. That winning combination is generating a strong and inspiring culture that will enhance Northrop Grumman’s ever-growing reputation as a “first choice” employer among exceptional candidates.

As Pamiljans recently stated, “We are aligning ourselves to perform, perform, perform … and are well positioned for continued top performance in 2018.”

And that’s the even bigger picture — for the coming year, and beyond.

contracts and more effectively and affordably execute statement of work across programs.”

Functional leadership at CoEs also was addressed. Now, there are individual leaders for core disciplines, such as Communications and Human Resources, at each CoE. Having a fundamental area led by an employee with expertise in that field helps better shape and guide related policies and practices. It also ensures that functional support is readily available where it’s needed.

Fast forward to this past November, and the streamlining continues with Global Logistics and Operational Support and Global Mission Excellence. The two organizations evaluated team objectives and responsibilities and ultimately decided to merge, creating Global Mission Excellence and Logistics (GME&L). “The new GME&L organization leverages the strong synergies between the legacy teams to ensure compliance, independence, mission assurance and mission effectiveness across the entire program lifecycle — from design right through fielded operations,” said Michelle Scarpella, sector vice president of GME&L. “This merger bolsters first-time quality for our process, people and tools and will significantly contribute to program performance.”

Each of the above steps has strengthened momentum companywide and led to a greater


By Ann Carney

the

PICTURE

The big picture is exactly what has driven organizational changes rolled out across Aerospace Systems during the past several months. We have realigned our corporate portfolio, including better leverag- ing of internal organizations and functional leadership within Centers of Excellence (CoEs). Yes, the big picture of Northrop Grumman’s future is in focus and tells quite a story. As Sector President Janis Pamiljans summarizes, “Our strategy is working; now, it’s about execution.”

Under Pamiljans’ direction, this past May, functional organizations within our CoEs were realigned. Each is now led by a vice president representing the primary responsibility of that particular CoE, be it Design, Manufacturing — or, in the case of Space Park in Redondo Beach, Calif., both. As Pamiljans expressed to employees, “With this alignment, we are establishing communities of practice (CoPs) across technical disciplines to drive process consistency and performance excellence. The common principles and processes implemented by our CoP leaders will enable our CoE and site teams to better resource

performance

aerospace systems

SAN DIEGOSPACE PARK

MEL

BOUR

NE

ST. AUGUSTINEPALMDALE

= Center of Excellence (CoEs)

Space Park Center of Excellence

Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence

Aircraft Integration Center or Excellence

Aircraft Integration Center or Excellence

Autonomous Design Center of Excellence

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (CoPs)

Design - Research, Technology and Engineering (RT&E)

Manufacturing - Global Operations













BIG BUSINESS REQUIRES SEEING THE BIG PICTURE. And the scope of such an expansive view sometimes mandates strategic actions designed to come full circle: consolidation creates growth, transition enhances stability, and so on.

21

(r)performance defined


Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin

F-35 CENTER FUSELAGE GOESFULL-RATE PRODUCTION

MOREinLESS TIME: By Omar Torres

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO, NORTHROP GRUMMAN WON THE CONTRACT TO BUILD THE CENTER FUSELAGE SECTION OF THE JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER F-35 LIGHTNING II. NOW, ENTERING FULL-RATE PRODUCTION, PALMDALE’S INTEGRATED ASSEMBLY LINE (IAL) IS SET TO DEFINE A NEW ERA OF PERFORMANCE.

Ever since the IAL at the Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence delivered the first F-35 center fuselage to Lockheed Martin in March 2012, the F-35 program team has been ramping up for the big day to go into full-rate production.

That day came on a sunny morning in early November.

“You could feel the excitement from everyone gathering on the assembly line,” said Cory Carruth, director for F-35 Center Fuselage IPT.

“There is a lot to be proud of in this program. The teamwork and performance this year has really been phenomenal. We’re set to kick off 2018 with the right momentum and team dedication required to continue this level of high performance.”

To mark the important milestone, the F-35 program team hosted guests from the Joint Program Office, F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin and a long list of program suppliers and partners. The special event culminated the moment the first parts for aircraft BF-74 were loaded into production tooling, signaling the beginning of the full-rate production interval delivery schedule. At this production rate, a completed center fuselage section will roll off the IAL every day and a half. This is exciting for the company and the industry because fighter jet programs have not seen this level of production and speed in recent decades. And even more monumental and further defining performance: the F-35 IAL doubled their production rate from 3 to 1.5 within 11 months.

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURINGGetting to this production interval has been in the works for quite some time and required integrating sophisticated and cutting-edge

technology onto the assembly line. Named Assembly Plant of the Year by Assembly Magazine in 2013, the first aerospace line so honored, Palmdale’s IAL is the industry leader in advanced manufacturing technology to date.

How does such a massive and tech- nologically advanced assembly line work? The F-35 IAL counts on robot- ics and automation for everything from coating to drilling, along with unmanned vehicles and autonomous systems driving manufacturing processes and assembly. All of the above are controlled centrally and wirelessly by the factory’s state-of-the-art communications system. Northrop Grumman builds all three variants of the F-35 and incorporates unique manufacturing technologies exclusive to or pioneered by the company.

A CULTURE OF LEARNING “When you think about how far we’ve come since the team won the F-35 contract in October 2001, standing here at the threshold of 1.5 production interval is an amazing accomplishment,” said Frank Carus, vice president and F-35 program manager.

“Our performance culture is a learning culture on the F-35. It’s about helping your teammates, learning from each other, taking the initiative to solve problems together. That’s our secret sauce. Quality and on- time performance is what we aim to deliver.”

Palmdale Calif.

BY THENUMBERS:

200,000102

square feet of factory floor space

major assemble positions

113

334center fuselages built to date at Palmdale as of Dec. 18

center fuselages for 2018

3F-35 variant center fuselages produced in the IAL: F-35A,

F-35B and F-35C

1,300people on the F-35 IAL line

Photo by Alan Radecki

AdvancedMANUFACTURING

Photo by Steve Potter

23

SPOKEN HERE: NORTHROP GRUMMAN ENGINEER HONORED

across (r)sector


We celebrate our successes and failures together and help each other out. We are united in our mission.

(r): What sets Northrop Grumman apart in terms of advanced manufacturing?

Ely: We are strategic. The number of new technologies out there is almost overwhelming, and so many of them attract a lot of hype. I think we’re really good at deciphering what manufacturing technologies are the right ones for us to invest in and implement so we can continue to lead in our industry and provide innovative products and solutions to our customer: the warfighter.

(r): Speaking of the warfighter, can you share your thoughts on building advanced military aircraft?

Ely: This is everything. So far in my career, I’ve been fortunate to have worked on various programs like the B-2, E-2C/D, F-5 and EA-6B. I’ve not only had the privilege to build aircraft that support our brave warfighters but also work alongside many veterans every day. Hearing them talk firsthand about their experiences and how our products help them complete their mission is highly rewarding.

For more information on the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, please visit www.sme.org.

For more than 85 years, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers has been supporting the manufacturing industry throughout North America. And since 1980, the SME’s Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award has recognized manufacturing engineers, age 35 or younger, who have made exceptional contributions to the industry. This year, one of Northrop Grumman’s own, Mariely “Ely” Brooks, took home this prestigious award.

Northrop Grumman has a long, proud tradition of pioneering innovative manufacturing techniques. At the core of our advanced manufacturing legacy are our highly skilled employees — employees like Ely, a manager of Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Automation at the St. Augustine Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.

Ely became a member of the Northrop Grumman family as a college intern at the St. Augustine site. In 2005, after graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in mechanical engineering, she began as a full-time industrial engineer, supporting the E-2C/D, EA-6B and F-5 programs. During the past 12 years, she continued to demonstrate an innate ability to master core aerospace manufacturing principles and effectively communicate them from shop floor to top floor and back again.

(r)evolution sat down with Ely and asked her to share her thoughts on receiving this award and a little bit about her career at Northrop Grumman.

(r): What does receiving this award mean to you?

Ely: It’s humbling and sure means a whole lot. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for many others who have guided and mentored me along the way. I ask a lot of questions; that’s how I best learn new concepts. So, I have many people to thank for this award — the list is long. On a more important and personal note, it’s a reminder of the sacrifices my parents made for my sister and me when we moved from Puerto Rico to Florida for a better life.

(r): What has been the most rewarding moment in your career, so far, at Northrop Grumman?

Ely: In 2013, I was part of the team that won the Aerospace Systems President’s Award for the B-2 aft deck automated assembly line. I was responsible for the robot imple- mentation and getting it to actually go live. This was our site’s first robot, and it helped establish St. Augustine as a CoE. Seeing that robot successfully drill its first hole on a B-2 aft deck was an amazing moment.

(r): How important has teamwork been over the course of your career here?

Ely: Teamwork isn’t some cheesy catchphrase to me — it’s how things actually get done. I currently manage a small team of engineers within our Advanced Manufacturing and Technology organization, and the only way we accomplish things is together.

By Ken Fisher

TEAMWORK ISN’T SOME CHEESY CATCHPHRASE TO ME — IT’S HOW

THINGS ACTUALLY GET DONE.

”—MARIELY “ELY” BROOKS Manager, Manufacturing Technology

and Advanced Automation

In-space manufacturing and assembly technology, for example, could help reduce the high costs and complexity associated with traditional launch systems. These two factors have hampered the quest for space colonization.

“Manufacturing and assembling systems in space allows us to think about fundamentally new ways to design, launch, deploy and even repair space systems on orbit,” says Advanced Missions Tech Fellow Howard Eller. “Instead of producing a satellite on Earth and figuring out how to fold it up and launch it on top of a large rocket, we could produce large structural elements in space, launch payloads separately on smaller rockets, then integrate the payloads with the structure in space.”

Another way to reduce launch costs would be to launch a satellite in discrete pieces packed compactly inside a rocket fairing, then use 3-D printing processes and robots to perform final assembly on orbit.

Tipping to the FutureBoth of these visions will require maturation of in-space manufacturing and assembly technologies. Through its “Tipping Point Technologies” program, NASA has selected nine companies, including Made in Space (MIS), Moffett Field, Calif., to mature technologies required to stimulate the commercial space industry and enable capabilities needed for future NASA missions.

Northrop Grumman is a member of the MIS-led team, which is develop- ing the Versatile In-Space Robotic Precision Manufacturing and Assembly System, aka Archinaut. The team is driving toward a ground demonstration of this robotic 3-D manufacturing system in a simulated space environment in summer 2018. The team hopes Archinaut will be selected by NASA for a future in-space flight demonstration.

To date, MIS has demonstrated the ability to 3-D print simple, one-material parts at its Additive Manufacturing Facility inside the International Space Station. The company is printing parts using a variety of materials including PEI/PC (polyetherimide/polycarbonate), a high-performance polymer; ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic; and green polyethylene.

Building Stuff OutsideThe long game, of course, is to produce complex, multi-material objects “outside,” in the harsh environment of space. Initially, systems such as Archinaut will focus on manufacturing structures such as reflectors, antennae, trusses and booms — objects that can be extruded into objects of any desired length using 3-D printing. They would then be assembled and integrated by robots into large space structures.

For its part, Northrop Grumman is helping MIS develop space-compatible 3-D printing materials that can perform well and withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation levels of space.

“The end goal is to be able to fabricate parts with a polymer material that is light, strong, dense and stable under extreme temperature conditions,” says Eric Fodran, a materials specialist. “Most importantly, the material has to be conductive, to ensure that it won’t build up static electricity that could discharge and damage satellite electronics.”

Resupply, Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent“In-space manufacturing could create a new ‘on-demand’ paradigm for repairing or providing new equipment for orbiting or deep space platforms,” said Lauren Smith, a program manager for applied research. “Instead of bring- ing to space redundant spares of components or equipment that might be needed over time,” she explains, “astronauts could simply ‘order’ new parts from Earth as needed. The appropriate print file would be ‘beamed up’ to a 3-D printer in space, where astronauts could make the needed repairs.”

Regardless of advances made in in-space manufacturing, there will likely remain categories of parts and equipment — processors, traveling wave tubes, high-performance microelectronic chips — that are simply too hard to make in space. Those parts, payloads or processing modules will still have to be delivered to space by rockets, then “plugged in” to their respective systems.

According to Eller, one way to reduce launch costs over time and facilitate in-space production of more complex items would be to scavenge all of the required raw materials from the space environment itself.

“There is a wealth of orbiting space junk — dead satellites — that we believe could be recycled and used as raw material for in-space manufacturing,” he says.

The Price of ProgressEven if we could get to a point where a complete satellite system could be produced in space, said Eller, there could be subtle and unintended consequences.

“When we produce satellites on Earth, we obtain parts from many suppliers, each of whom has perfected the recipe for making those part(s) with high reliability,” he says. “When we manufacture in space, we might lose that collective wealth of engineering and manufacturing know-how. So we either have to replicate the original level of expertise — a big challenge — or we have to do without it.”

Either way, he believes, the future of in-space manufacturing and assembly is full of promise, excitement and yet-to-be-invented technologies.

“It’s hard to know which aspects of how we use space are going to change,” says Eller. “There is a growing consensus that manufacturing in space is something that will make things completely different.”

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Artist concept from NorthropGrumman.com

Manufacturing and Assembly: By Brooks McKinneyIn-Space

25

DIFFERENTFUTURE of

A Kind

It’s been more than 45 years since the last U.S. astronaut left the

moon. And while NASA is finally making plans to send humans

back to the moon and eventually to Mars, the technology we’ll use to

get us there promises to be much different from the approaches

we’ve used up until now.

IN-SPACE MANUFACTURING COULD CREATE A NEW ‘ON-DEMAND’ PARADIGM

FOR REPAIRING OR PROVIDING NEW EQUIPMENT FOR ORBITING OR DEEP SPACE PLATFORMS.

”—LAUREN SMITH Program Manager for Applied Research

Photo courtesy of NASA

Brought to you by

26 27JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Operation #PolarEye team member Cris Paunescu observes flight operations on the Hudson Bay.

Photo by Daniel Hazard. Inset photos by Tony Long

across (r)sector

After months of preparation, countless hours in the San Diego FabLab (their home base) and more than 30 test flights, team members traveled to Canada in November 2017 to join SDZG scientists in Churchill, Manitoba, often called the Polar Bear Capital of the World. This was the second year of a collaboration that not only allowed for better understanding how new technology can be used for conservation but also provided Northrop Grumman engineers with an opportunity to rapidly prototype, test and deploy a system they developed into the field.

During the 10-day mission, the team used a commercial off-the-shelf hexacopter fitted with a custom sensor pod designed to provide a more detailed, finer-scale view of sea ice habitat than scientists could previously acquire. Operating out of a small research cabin 25 miles north of Churchill on the edge of Hudson Bay, team members went to extreme measures to protect themselves and their equipment from stiff winds and air temperatures as low as minus-20 degrees Fahrenheit. While flying missions more than a mile out on

“This mission demonstrated what is possible when advanced technology is integrated into conservation research for threatened species like the polar bear,” said Dr. Nicholas Pilfold, scientist for SDZG. “To be able to analyze polar bear habitat in three dimensions will allow us to answer pertinent questions that have previously eluded scientists.”

Kravit, Paunescu, Wang and Welch spent Thanksgiving away from their families living in extremely close quarters in the middle of an often unforgiving environment. Due to their commitment to mission success, Northrop Grumman was able to provide SDZG with a new tool for conservation efforts researchers hope to use again in the Arctic and other habitats where technology may hold the key to future conservation breakthroughs.

To learn more about Operation #PolarEye and all our Environmental Technologies projects, visit NOW.northropgrumman.com.

When Operation #PolarEye team members Greg Kravit, Cris Paunescu, Victor Wang and Charlie Welch started the joint mission with San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) to map Arctic sea ice, they had only one goal in mind: get to Hudson Bay by November to test and deliver a new autonomous system in the fight to conserve polar bears and their habitat.

MISSION SUCCESS

OPERATIONBy Daniel Hazard #POLAREYE:

the sea ice, team members wore head-to-toe Arctic gear and outfitted their hexacopter with a ruggedized thermal shell printed at Aerospace Systems’ Space Park site in Redondo Beach, Calif.

“Our team led this effort with our background knowledge in autonomous systems, and a deep sense of passion and dedication to deliver a cutting-edge system for San Diego Zoo Global’s Arctic mission,” said Welch, Operation #PolarEye technical lead. “To be able to operate an advanced system like this in extreme Arctic conditions and collect data was a huge success for both our UAS [unmanned aircraft system] and our San Diego Zoo Global-Northrop Grumman team.”

Equipped with four integrated sensors operating simultaneously, the hexacopter flew 11 sea ice mapping missions and collected an array of habitat data, including 3-D sea ice maps collected at sub-centimeter resolution and multispectral data. The team also tested the ability of its custom sensor suite to detect tracks and signs left behind by polar bears as they migrate from land to sea ice.

“This mission demonstrated what is possible when advanced technology is

integrated into conservation research for threatened species like the polar bear.”

—DR. NICHOLAS PILFOLD Scientist, San Diego Zoo Global


across (r)sector

By Geri MacDonald

“ADE-LADIES”THESETTING UP SHOP IN THE LAND DOWN UNDER

Shena Howell (left) and Hannah Scherer.

Illustration by Gloria Sola

Systems engineers Hannah Scherer and Shena Howell are currently deployed to Adelaide, Australia, on a two-year assignment, where they have earned the nickname “the Ade-Ladies.” Their roles as in-country technical leads for Triton Australia are part of the Global Engineer Rotation program. (r)evolution asked them about the experience.

Shena: Besides driving on the left side of the road, the things that stood out to me are the store hours and Internet speeds. Adelaide is often referred to as a “big country town” or a “small city,” despite its 1.5 million population. Part of that culture is that stores are typically only open from 9–5 on weekdays and Saturdays, and have shortened hours on Sunday (11–4) or are closed altogether. Most everything closes on holidays. Also, Internet is a bit slower than in the States. A national broadband network is being implemented but is not widely available yet, meaning my home Inter- net is delivered over a phone line. And unlimited data on a home plan is not common either.

Hannah: The lack of Starbucks! Australians are very proud of their coffee culture, and in Adelaide, there are no Starbucks to be found. However, coffee is very good here, and Shena and I have been enjoying our flat whites and lattes. Another noticeable difference to me has been the online shopping culture, which is not nearly as established as in the

(r)evolution: How long have you been in Australia? How much longer do you anticipate being there?Hannah: I deployed in August 2016, so I have been here a little over a year, although I spent 10 months between Hollywood, Md., and San Diego prior to my move.

Shena: I started on the program in August of last year and deployed at the end of Thanksgiving weekend in 2016. I expect to return by December of 2018.

(r): What is your role there? What kinds of things do you do on behalf of the company? Shena: Hannah and I are based at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh, which is in Adelaide, South Australia. RAAF Base Edinburgh will be the main operating base for Australia Triton, and we are integrated with the RAAF wing that will operate Triton. We act as the primary interface to our key customers in the Commonwealth of Australia (CoA). Specifically, we work with the RAAF and other CoA

organizations to provide a deeper understanding of the Triton system’s capabilities and to complete risk reduction activities, utilizing the Australia Triton Mission System Trainer (AUS-MST). All of this work is being done ahead of the official procurement decision for Triton, called Gate 2, which should happen early next year.

Hannah: Shena and I are a two-woman team, so we do a bit of everything and wear multiple hats. Not only do we develop and execute key customer engagements on the AUS-MST, but we lead efforts for system integration into the Australian Single Information Environment and accreditation. As the in-country technical leads, we are also responsible for the overall operations and maintenance of the system. Lastly, Shena and I are responsible for establishing a Northrop Grumman presence in South Australia through industry and STEM engagements.

(r): When you first arrived, what stood out to you the most?

States. Shipping times for online purchases can be long, and although amazon.com.au exists, stock is very limited, primarily books.

(r): How is working in Australia different from working in the US?Hannah: Although there is an established and respected rank system in the Australian military, to me it is noticeably less formal. Additionally, there are many reservists, and you don’t see the “up-or-out” mindset as you would within the U.S. military.

Shena: To me, what seems to make the biggest difference is population size. Since the population in Australia is less than that of just California, I

feel like people tend to have broader roles and responsibilities, wider swim lanes, than their U.S. counterparts.

(r): Is the job what you expected? What about the country?Hannah: The job has been what I expected, and I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to work with end users. It has been invaluable to hear how our future customers intend to use our system, how they think and what they care about. As for the country, I did not expect so many subtle differences between Australian and American English. We have learned many new words, pronunciations and slang phrases. No dramas, she’ll be right!

Shena: Though the job has been what I expected, there are some things I did not anticipate. For instance, I believe Hannah was the first Northrop Grumman employee in South Australia, and I was the second. So, it has been an interesting challenge getting things set up and working in a “satellite” location. At the same time, it has really allowed us to broaden our knowledge into fields we probably wouldn’t have been exposed to in the United States and to exercise our abilities to “make it work.”

By Ken Fisher and

Back in September, we met High-Performing Norm, who helped illustrate what employee engagement scores really tell us and how we rate. For this issue, (r)evolution sat down with Norm to learn about what Northrop Grumman and Aerospace Systems are working on to help improve accountability in 2018.

(r): How does Northrop Grumman define accountability, and why is it important?Norm: We’re building a better culture at Northrop Grumman and our CEO, Wes Bush, is leading the charge from the very top. It all starts with ensuring that leadership listens — really listens — to employees and takes action where it makes sense. That’s what accountability is all about. You might have seen the “You Said It. We Did It.” website that launched last year. That’s one part of the company’s commitment to accountability, high- lighting actions taken in response to employee feedback.

(r): Can you give us some examples of actions?Norm: Our sector president, Janis Pamiljans, has selected Chris Hernandez, sector vice president, Research, Technology & Engineering, to serve as our executive sponsor for driving visible accountability efforts. It starts with leadership modeling the desired culture and behaviors and ensuring that everyone understands what accountability means and that it is a top priority.

Better management was the No. 1 theme from comments in last year’s employee survey about where improvements are needed. Our employees want and need more effective leaders and easier-to-navigate pathways to pursue management, functional or technical careers. Fortunately, Northrop Grumman agrees and is continuing to invest in ways to identify and develop the best managers.

(r): Speaking of managers, what tips can you give to help them achieve these accountability goals? Norm: Talk to high-performing peers, or better yet, shadow them. Find out what works for them and adapt and apply what you learn to your own team. Most importantly, be accountable. Accountable managers listen to feedback, involve their teams in solutions and share progress. They also earn trust quickly, are strong team players and prepare employees for success.

(r): Earning trust is so important. What are some ways to do that?

Norm: Face-to-face contact is a great place to start. Show people you are paying attention and that you care deeply about the health of your rela- tionships with them. Highlight best practices, be honest in your dealings and do what you say you are going to do.

(r): Any closing thoughts you would like to share with our readers? Norm: I encourage all employees to visit the “You Said it. We Did It.” site to share examples of actions taken in response to employee issues or concerns.

Keep an eye out for High-Performing Norm in future editions of (r)evolution, as we continue to celebrate our stories of accountability and performance.

Illustration by Gloria Sola

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PERFORMINGNORM

Be Like Norm ...

HIGH- Listen to what our Sector President

Janis Pamiljans has to say about performing as

a team in 2018 as we kick things off with

our first podcast of the year.

Bonnie Poindexter

FEBRUARY 2018

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18P

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perform - northrop grumman corporation phase of the scoe was a live-air exercise during three weeks...

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