their mission is our mission - connecting retirees from trw and northrop...

FALL 2016

THEIR MISSIONIS OUR MISSION

©2

016

Northrop G

rumm

an Corporation

FLIGHT TRAINING HOURS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING.

6 HEADLINES

CONTENTS

8 INNOVATION

34 COMMUNITY

HERITAGE 14

18

COVER STORY“Our ultimate goal is to make sure our warfighters meet their mission requirements, because their mission is our mission and we want them home safe.”

—Deb Andree director, Global Mission Excellence

Military Aircraft Systems

Military veterans (left to right) Mark Mohr, Randi Collins and Hank Reed have a history of appreciating the quality of Northrop Grumman.Cover photo by Alex Evers and Jaysen Turner

FALL 2016

CONNECTIONS

It’s no secret that Northrop Grumman and quality go hand in hand. Quality is a huge part of our past, present and future. It’s who we are. It’s in our DNA.

Our customers have grown used to trusting their very lives to what we envision, design, build and deliver. By focusing on quality, we’re not only protecting the lives of our nation’s brave warfighters but our reputation for excellence as well.

Though our reputation is built on quality, it’s not just our dedicated engineers and technicians who are responsible for it. Quality is everyone’s responsibility. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Business Management, Facilities, Human Resources, Security, Global Supply Chain, Communications, Human Resources…

We’re all in the quality business.But what is quality? Simply put, quality means doing things the right way — the first time, every time. We all must embrace quality and make it personal, regardless of what role we play within the company.

We must foster an environment that celebrates our culture of quality, an environment that

embraces seamless collaboration and a cohesive, holistic approach to doing our jobs — day in and day out. No matter who you are or what you do, by joining forces and acting as a team, we become stronger. By partnering and collaborating with stakeholders, we can successfully resolve issues and influence outcomes.

We focus on quality 365 days a year, but traditionally take the month of October to celebrate our steadfast commitment to it. Examples of quality surround us, and I’m looking forward to recognizing the many unique instances of our personal commitment to quality in the month ahead.

Everybody is part of the quality team; everybody is relevant to what we do: providing world-class, innovative systems, products and solutions to our customers.

In the end, we’re all in the quality business.

COVER STORY MISSION EXCELLENCE:

In Their Own Words

24 ACROSS THE SECTOR

Art Lofton Sector Vice President, Global Mission Excellence Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems

Art Lofton is all in for Quality Month.

Photo by Michael Regan

ALL IN

16 PERFORMANCE

22 HOMEFRONT

6 7INSIDE AEROSPACEFALL 2016

Minh Le Wins 2016 ‘Quality Is Personal’ Poster ContestFor Aerospace Systems Web tech analyst Minh Le, designing the winning “Quality Is Personal” poster for 2016 came naturally. Le spends much of his free time following an artistic urge, whether it’s taking a drawing class every Wednesday or sitting in a café and spending the better part of the day filling a sketchbook with his creations.

Le began drawing at age 5, and by the time he was in college, he took classes in painting, ceramics and screen printing, among others. Since 2009, he’s painted an ocean-themed, 5-by-9-foot mural every year at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif., for the facility’s Urban Ocean Festival. After the event’s conclusion, the murals have gone on display in other countries, including France, China and Japan.

Though he scored an iPad for taking first place in the poster contest, Le is more excited about what the artwork can do to help brand Northrop Grumman — he has big aspirations. “I feel like this company needs a fresh look,” he said. “And I want art to be taken seriously, just like science and

engineering. I want to bring in more creative juice to the artistic side of things and think differently.”

Where does Le draw his inspiration? “I don’t focus too much. I just let the images come to me,” he said. “I also like to go online and look at movie posters, then discuss them and do critiques of them.”

Without art, Le said, the world would be quite a dull place. “It’s the true form of self-expression. Art has been there to save people’s lives, in a sense,” he said. “It is also a great form of innovation. Action and creativity combine to create the ultimate innovation.”

— Chris Boyd

Martin Receives NASA Award for EngineeringTimothy Martin, director of Engineer- ing, received the Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement Award for Engineering from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in recognition of his work on the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb Telescope).

Named in honor of rocketry pioneer Robert Hutchings Goddard, the award is presented to outstanding individuals for accomplishments in

Inside Aerospace © 2016 Northrop Grumman Corporation

All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA

Sector Vice President, Communications Cynthia Curiel

Director, Communications Yolanda Murphy

Manager, Employee Communications Ann Akutagawa

Executive Editor Kathy Ford

Managing Editor Chris Boyd

Associate Editor Ann Carney

Creative Director Adam Ugolnik

Art Director Antoinette Bing Zaté

Advertising Director Darrell Brock

Contributors Chris Boyd, Ann Carney, Warren Comer, Ken Fisher, Mary Kozaitis, Brooke Miner,

Bonnie Poindexter, Connie Reese, Katherine Thompson

Editorial Board Chris Boyd, Alex Evers, Steve Fisher, Kathy

Ford, Sally Koris, Christina Thompson, Katherine Thompson, Adam Ugolnik,

Antoinette Bing Zaté

Inside Aerospace magazine is published for employees by Aerospace Systems Communications. Archives are available on the intranet. Please contact Kathy Ford ([email protected]) for permission to reprint, excerpt material, request additional copies, or to provide story ideas.

All photography courtesy of Northrop Grumman unless otherwise indicated.

spaceflight, engineering, science, management and education. Martin was selected for his technical expertise and exceptional leadership of the team that developed the telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) cryocooler.

Northrop Grumman is under con-tract to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, located in Greenbelt, Md., to help build the Webb Tele-scope and has completed the integration, testing and delivery of the telescope. The company has a separate contract with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., for the cryocooler, which keeps sensitive instruments at the low temperatures required for them to operate effectively.

Martin and his team successfully completed the development, fabrication, integration, testing and delivery of the cryocooler to JPL last year, where it has undergone cryogenic tests. This June, JPL delivered the cryocooler back to Northrop Grumman’s Space Park facility in Redondo Beach, Calif., where it will be integrated with the telescope’s spacecraft.

“Leading a team of stellar individuals, diligently working to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the world’s largest telescope ever built for space, has

been the experience of a lifetime,” said Martin. “While I am immensely honored and humbled to receive this award, words cannot express the appreciation I have for our entire team.”

— Connie Reese

St. Augustine and Palmdale Sites Win James S. Cogswell AwardBoth the St. Augustine, Fla., and Palmdale, Calif., sites recently won the esteemed James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award. Northrop Grumman representatives gathered this summer to accept the special recognition at the NCMS training seminar held in Nashville, Tenn.

The Defense Security Service pre- sents this award annually to less than 1 percent of cleared facilities. At least two consecutive superior industrial security review ratings are required to be eligible for the Cogswell Award. Out of more than 13,300 cleared defense contractors, St. Augustine and Palmdale were among 42 chosen awardees.

“This win is a huge accomplishment for the site and sector,” said Leslie Paige, site security manager at St. Augustine’s Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. “I’m proud of my dedicated team and the entire site for meeting and exceeding the rigorous security standards to which we are held. This win is just another example of our commitment to quality.”

“Earning this prestigious award was a phenomenal achievement for the entire Palmdale team and Northrop

HEADLINES

Timothy Martin wins NASA award for Engineering.

Photo by Michael Reagan

Minh Le won the Quality poster contest and is often inspired by movie posters.


Grumman as a whole,” added Shane March, site security manager at the Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. “We could not have accomplished this without the sup-port of our site leadership team and our partnership with our industry and government counterparts.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Cogswell Award, established in recognition of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, who was the first chief of industrial security within the Department of Defense.

— Mary Kozaitis, Communications Intern

Shane March displays the James S. Cogswell Award received by the Palmdale Aircraft Design Center of Excellence.

The St. Augustine, Fla., Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence proudly accepted the James S. Cogswell Award.


INNOVATION

Frank Kropschot speaking at the Starburst event in Redondo Beach, Calif.


By Brandon Florian

Industry leaders approached many presenters after their pitch. Some presenting companies were already in discussions, or in the early stages of doing business, with Northrop Grumman. Gilbert Tseng, a microelectronics subject matter expert with the company’s NG Next organization, participated in dis-cussions with Arralis, a small radar solutions company based in Ireland.

“The Starburst event was a great forum to see where future develop-ments and new ideas are being driven by commercial markets ... NG Next was able to get a great perspective on some of the advanced work they’re doing, as well as discuss opportunities to work together on future efforts,” said Tseng.

“Events like this help drive the innovation culture here at Aero-space Systems and the increased presence and exposure will only help Northrop Grumman evolve faster to meet our customer needs.”

The company holds the Guinness World Record for creating the fast-est integrated chip that operates 1,000 times faster than a cell phone.

This should not come as a surprise, considering that Northrop Grumman has a rich legacy of invention created by its founding fathers. But in this ever-changing industry, organizations must look outward to see what new, game-changing technology is being created. This is paramount to be a leader among competitors, and usher in a new era of disruptive technology that will change the aerospace and defense landscape.

Earlier this year, Aerospace Systems selected Paris-based Starburst Accelerator — the leading European organization that offers aerospace startups access to venture capi-tal and the expertise of large corporations — as a partner. Toget-her, they are identifying promising tech startups that have potential aerospace and defense applications.

Starburst settled in El Segundo, Calif., last year. Since then, it has held three events, each known as the “Aerospace Innovation Hub,” where more than 50 startups were invited to pitch to industry, angel investors and venture capitalists.

The most recent event was held at Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Presentation Center in Redondo Beach, Calif., with approximately 180 participants, including attend-ees from Japan, India, France, Italy

and Ireland. It was the largest turn-out to date for Starburst. U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Jody Merritt, who heads the aerospace sector for the Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, kicked off the morning mentioning that her team is constantly on the look-out for entrepreneurial startups to incorporate into defense technology.

“We scout, connect and support the innovation of disruptive technolo-gy that sustains and extends U.S. strategic advantage in defense, while contributing to the world’s security and prosperity,” said Merritt.

The pitch session consisted of 10 companies presenting technolo-gies to attendees, who in turn rated each company on categories such as potential market, offering of technology and desirability to work with them.

One company that created a buzz was BridgeSat. This Boston-based space optical communications company has designed a global network that can download mas-sive bandwidth files from satellites to land-based terminals via lasers. Another innovative company, Frontline Aerospace, has developed more energy-efficient, better-performing gas turbine engines for drone aircraft.

It uses IsoCool compressor and MicroFire recuperator technologies designed to carry heavier loads on aircraft.

Some of the smartest people in the industry work at Northrop Grumman, where they continuously create new technology that pushes the envelope of what is possible.

“Many of the problems that we are asked to tackle

require pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and we need to have a diverse set of ideas —

from both inside and outside our company — to identify

potential solutions.”

—Frank Kropschot director of Strategic Growth

AEROSPACE


INNOVATION

Overall, what matters most is attitude — how interns and new hires approach their assignments and the inevitable obstacles. But they also need the ability to adapt emerging skills, tools, processes and applications. It’s all about the powerful combination of attitude and aptitude.

When interns are excited about exploring possibilities, that’s a golden opportunity to help them maximize their potential. That’s when you can help them apply both enthusiastic curiosity and proven abilities to real-world business objectives, so they can see for themselves how the two go hand in hand.

Check out these stories, as well as many other examples of ingenuity, on the Share Your Story website.

brief engineering teams. Some serve as technical representatives in remote areas, providing product demonstrations for customers. And several have done presentations at critical program reviews or become primary contributors to core program deliverables.

It inspires me how interns and new hires routinely defy the type of thinking that says, “There’s no way.” Instead, they dig deep, push boundaries and discover answers. It’s great when they receive well-deserved recognition for doing so, and I am always thrilled for them.

Mario Mistretta has worked for Northrop Grumman for 32 years. As a systems engineer manager, he has mentored dozens of interns and new hires throughout his career. As he puts it, he strives to “harness their fearless and indestructible nature.” For Mistretta, that chal-lenge involves assigning interesting projects, delegating high levels of responsibility and providing a sup-port team that is passionate about teaching. As it turns out, that’s a springboard for success.

About eight years ago, I started a pipeline for local interns in Melbourne, Fla., that included a curriculum based on Northrop Grumman processes and tools. There was no company intern program back then and jobs were lean. The strategy was to attract talented students who could start part time and become acclimated

before summer. They could then continue part time after their intern- ships ended and they returned to area colleges. That approach worked and fits in well with the company’s new energized focus on providing opportunities for promising students.

However, last year when selecting interns and new hires, I decided to change things up a bit and spend far less time considering specific skillsets and grade point averages. Instead, I sought individuals who thrived on creativity and innovation — and found many. What they’ve accomplished for the company is amazing. A sample listing includes:

/ Creation of Catalyst — an internal brainstorming method used to generate recommendations and solutions to company challenges (Innovation Award presented)

/ Invention of an apparatus that enhanced the Airborne Laser Mine Detection System and which was deemed a “trade secret” by Northrop Grumman

/ Development of a status management tool designed to save time and money

/ Enhancement of the Joint STARS program via the development of an imagery server that some thought “couldn’t be done”

/ Construction of an airframe prototype, done as a team effort, in preparation of the Quad Cup competition that was held in August (Innovation Award presented)

Other interns have developed applications and products used by chief technology officers to

By Mario MistrettaATTITUDE + APTITUDE = ALTITUDE

Mario Mistretta reviews Quad Quest airframe prototype with intern Matt Colvin.

Photo by Ezra Miller

SHARE

YOURSTORY

“What we did here was truly groundbreaking, and the level of collaboration was remarkable. The teams were competing with each other, but they didn’t care. They knew the problem was hard, and if they could help each other, they did.”

INNOVATION

13INSIDE AEROSPACE12 FALL 2016

A view of the stadium in San Diego where the Quad Cup finals took place.

Photo by TJ Ortega

By Brooke Miner CHALLENGE: ACCEPTEDINNOVATION

The copters navigated using a floor mat covered with April tags, which look and function much like QR codes. Each copter integrated a downward-facing camera, which “read” the tags to figure out its location and the locations of opponent copters and the goals. The mat and other infrastructure were developed by an organizing team of 30 to 40 people.

The experience was valuable to the teams well beyond the hands-on work. “It was really a microcosm of program management,” said Lauren Smith, Quad Cup program manager. “Most people work on a small part of a big system that can take 10 or more

upwards of 200 feet per second.” His team’s copters also incorporated a computer vision system and used machine learning to recognize the difference between a goal and an opponent.

The winning team focused on software design. “We were trying to achieve as much autonomy as we could,” said Snyder. “For us, that meant things like developing algorithms for collision avoidance and to determine the best angle to shoot at the goal. The only commands we gave the copter were things like ‘get a ball,’ ‘shoot a goal’ or ‘block opponent.’”

The challenge, known as the Quad Cup, involved a game played in an indoor arena surrounded by a net. Small, rotor-propelled helicopters would catch a ball dispensed from above and shoot it through a hoop, all as autonomously as possible.

The challenge was open to employees across the company, and 13 teams submitted proposals. Eight were selected to develop their designs, and four were selected to move on to the finals, which took place on Aug. 4 in San Diego.

The task was complicated, requiring a diversity of expertise and a lot of time and collaboration. “There were

20 people on our team, and at the beginning, a core group spent five to six hours a week on this,” said Noah Snyder, electronics engineer and lead of the winning team. “Toward the end, at least 10 of us were working 20 or more hours a week, after work and on weekends.”

Time was limited, so the teams had to decide early on where to focus their copter designs. “Our team is from Mission Systems, so we thought we’d focus on sensors, which are our strength,” said team lead Victor Wang, who’s an embedded software engineer. “But our primary innovation turned out to be a pneu-matic launcher that could shoot

years to complete, and this was a way for them to take something from concept to completion.”

The ultimate goal was innovation, and in that sense, the challenge had tangible outcomes. Both the computer vision system Wang’s team developed and Snyder’s team’s collision avoidance system could have practical applications for real-world projects.

Maybe best of all, the yearlong activity united employees across sites and turned co-workers into friends. “I will stay in touch with these people forever,” said Smith.

The winning team celebrates their Quad Cup victory.

Photo by Robert M. Brown

During this year’s Innovation Challenge, a handful of Northrop Grumman employees found out what it takes to design quad copters that can shoot a ball through a hoop —without human intervention. Short answer: it’s not easy.


NGFCU

HERITAGE

It was 1946 and it was the cigar-box deposits and ledger book beginning of what is now the billion-dollar Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union (NGFCU).

Continually building upon its core philosophy of “people helping people,” across a span of seven decades, NGFCU has grown into one of the top rated, best manag- ed and most trusted financial organizations in the United States. As of Jan. 1, 2016, it had achieved $1 billion in assets, placing it in the top 4 percent of the nation’s more than 6,000 credit unions.

Currently serving more than 50,000 members, NGFCU offers a diverse array of financial products, including mortgage, home equity, consumer and auto loans, checking and savings accounts, credit card services, retirement investment counseling and bill consolidation. In the last decade alone, it provided nearly 30,000 home and auto loans,

enabling individuals and families to enhance their lifestyles, and partner with a banking institution known and respected for its ethics, expertise and community involvement.

Presently, NGFCU provides various levels of service in all 50 states with 23 branches and 42 ATMs at or near Northrop Grumman locations. It even offers both dental and vision plans for Northrop Grumman retirees. This past April, Stan Swenson, who served as CEO of the NGFCU for 34 years, retired. Now at the helm is Matthew Herbert, who started his career with NGFCU in 1980.

NGFCU’s history is an impressive one, and its contributions to Northrop Grumman employees and their families, as well as the military and local communities, have made a lasting difference. NGFCU celebrates its 70th anniversary sharing Northrop Grumman’s dedication to the “value of performance.” It is a legacy that will continue for decades to come.

40s

Northrop Aircraft Credit Union opens for business in 1946. It operates with a staff of five, including the general manager

50s

In 1959, the name changes to Northrop Credit Union

60s

By 1964, 63 percent of Northrop’s nearly 12,000 employees are Credit Union members

70s

By 1976, assets grow to more than $40 million. There are 28 staff members serving nearly 19,000 members. New branches open; assets double

80s

Services include share draft and direct deposit, individual retire-ment accounts and money market savings. Membership rises to 47,000 by 1987

90s

In 1994, the name changes to Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union in accordance with corporate merger

NGFCU initiates the annual “Northrop Grumman Family Day at Dodger Stadium,” providing employees and their families discounted tickets for reserved seats

Branches open in St. Augustine, Fla., Massachusetts and Louisiana

2000 to Present

Online banking / smart phone suite of services now available

NGFCU joins Northrop Grumman in sponsoring the annual Military Bowl to benefit the USO

Melbourne, Fla., branch opens

Membership reaches 50,000; staff grows to approximately 160

TIMELINE HIGHLIGHTS

IT GERMINATED OUT OF A SHARED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY AND THE IDEAL OF PROVIDING

NORTHROP AIRCRAFT EMPLOYEES IN HAWTHORNE, CALIF., A SECURE ALTERNATIVE FOR THEIR PERSONAL SAVINGS.

IT WAS NEW. IT WAS CUTTING EDGE.

In the 1950s, the Northrop Credit Union was located in the far right end

of the pictured building.

COUNTING . . .and

By Terry Anderson, NGFCU director of marketing


PERFORMANCE

powering

The spacecraft for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which will revolution-ize our understanding of the universe, is equipped with precision guidance, impeccable structural stability, and the communications links needed to send and receive data to and from the telescope to its location 1 million miles from Earth.

Earlier this year, the spacecraft’s initial core electronics and flight software successfully completed a power-on milestone, demonstrating the spacecraft’s ability to provide mandatory observatory power and electrical resources required for its mission. Northrop Grumman achieved this milestone one month ahead of schedule at its Space Park facility in Redondo Beach, Calif.

“Extensive testing of the spacecraft’s engineering model versions of the flight electronics, software, harness, test equipment and procedures in Northrop Grumman’s Engineering Model Test Bed, enabled the early power-on of the spacecraft,” said Greg Jones, director, integration and test, Aerospace Systems.

Northrop Grumman is under contract to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Cen- ter in Greenbelt, Md., and leads the industry team that is designing and developing the Webb telescope’s optics, sunshield and spacecraft.

The core of the bus comprises the observatory’s electrical power, command and data-handling electronics, flight software and harnesses.Successful operation of its power sources plays an essential role in lay- ing the foundation for subsequent electrical and software build-up and testing. Power-on for the spacecraft is a fundamental step as the JWST prepares to transcend space explora-tion when it launches in late 2018.

The bus is made of carbon fiber com-posites and houses propulsion electrical power and communications. It must withstand a force equivalent to 45 tons while supporting the observatory dur-ing launch. While in orbit, it will provide pointing and structural stability for the telescope. UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH

By Connie Reese

“The fact that we were able to successfully accomplish this

significant milestone of spacecraft power-on attests to the commitment

of our Webb Telescope team and dedicated collaboration between our engineering and integration

and test teams.”

—Andy Cohen director, Webb Telescope Spacecraft, Aerospace Systems

The Webb Telescope successfully completed a power-on milestone one month ahead of schedule.

Photo by Alex Evers

By Brooke Miner

Left to right: Adam Schnee, Romey Youniss, Joe Nguyen, Kurt Stannish, Beth Emery, Jo Ann Wood, Kristen Donnelly, Tim Chou, Nathan Harmon and Kimberly Collins.


In a competitive landscape, it’s critical for Northrop Grumman to make decisions quickly and meet standards for quality while keeping customer satisfaction high and costs low. To enable this, the company collects data about virtually everything. But how do we turn that data into useful insights that will benefit our products, missions, employees and shareholders?

Discovering, interpreting and commu-nicating meaningful patterns in data is known as analytics, and it’s the main focus of Aerospace Systems’ Analytics and Process Excellence team, whose mission is to make data actionable and bring insight across the business. Part of Global Mission Excellence, the team’s highly skilled data scientists interpret information to enable informed, rapid decision-

making for programs and missions. By identifying correlations between several dimensions of company performance and the data “markers” that lead to success or failure, leaders can adjust course where necessary.

“Big data” is all around us, and ana-lytics are shaping how people get things done every day, from target- ed marketing by retailers to systems that recommend films you might like to watch. The same kinds of capa-bilities are being brought to bear at Northrop Grumman. For example, we can identify patterns in our data that can predict key performance indicators, such as which of our suppliers might deliver late or what employee skill sets we need to develop.

Analytics involves taking data from multiple sources and formats and transforms that data into useful visualizations via displays that can be sliced and diced to allow insights from multiple angles. By identifying relationships between elements of performance and the success or failure of programs and products, we can begin to predict what will happen in the future with a high degree of accuracy.

“It [analytics] allows us to reap the benefits of product and mission data and of the major IT system investments from the past several years to strengthen our strategic position and our speed on all fronts,” said Beth Emery, director, Analytics and Process Excellence, Global Mission Excellence. “This is a game changer.”

“Analytics is about turning data into insight. By tracking trends, patterns, warning signs and

indicators, we can add enormous capabilities to the wisdom our talented teams bring.”

—Beth Emery director, Analytics and Process Excellence, Global Mission Excellence

PUTTINGDATA

toWORK

Randi Collins, Hank Reed and Mark Mohr share photos of themselves when they were in active service.

Photos by Alex Evers and Jaysen Turner

By Ken Fisher

18 FALL 2016

Thanks to the many thousands of Northrop Grumman military veterans for their sacrifice and service in the

defense of our nation.

COVER STORY

19INSIDE AEROSPACE

Northrop Grumman prioritizes the preservation of freedom and the advancement of human discovery. Its mission spans autonomous and space systems and next-generation solutions for customers around the globe.

Despite that lofty mission, however, the company’s top priority is protect-ing the lives of American servicemen and women. That’s why — at the end of the day — its No. 1 goal is Mission Excellence.

“Whatever job you have, whatever part of the organization you are in, Mission Excellence means doing your job and doing it correctly,” said Deb Andree, director, Global Mission Excellence, Military Aircraft Systems. “Our ultimate goal is to make sure our warfighters meet their mission requirements, because their mission is our mission and we want them home safe.”

Inside Aerospace reached out to Aerospace Systems employees who are military veterans and asked them to share their thoughts on the importance of Mission Excellence. Here are some of their replies, in their own words.

RANDI COLLINS 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army National Guard

While I was serving in the Army, many of the products we used were made by Northrop Grumman. The ability of our vehicles to traverse difficult terrain or withstand bullets and bombs saved many of my friends during ambushes while deployed overseas. While I was an intern in Technology Services (Mission Readiness Business Unit), I got to see some of the process of designing these vehicles to tailor them to soldiers’ needs.

HANK REED Colonel, U.S. Air Force (retired)

Our warfighting customers seek the very best in global secu-rity products and services from our enterprise — they expect Mission Excellence in everything we deliver. As a former customer, I did too. When I led a fighter squadron in combat over Iraq, my focus was on successfully completing our mission and bringing every airman and every jet home in one piece. I depended on Northrop Grumman systems to fight and win. As I connect with our customers now, our reputation for Mission Excellence precedes me in every meeting.

MARK MOHR Captain, U.S. Navy (retired)

While in command of a Navy Special Projects squadron, I spent the bulk of my time flying sorties in eastern Afghanistan and central Iraq supporting small teams of warfighters in direct action missions. Our ability to pass immediate information to those on the ground was critical to the success of the mission.

We now have the means to provide assured communications to an array of warfighters. Without the systems working on-demand 100 percent of the time, we literally risk the lives of those who are counting on them.

—Stuart Linsky vice president, Engineering & Global Product Development

MISSION EXCELLENCE

DREAM, BUILD AND DELIVERMEANS THAT THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE “

REALLY MEET AND EXCEEDTHE OBJECTIVES OF THE PILOT

AND HIS OR HER MISSION.

”

WHEN OUR SERVICE MEMBERSACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION AND

RETURN HOME SAFELY IN ANORTHROP GRUMMAN AIRCRAFT,

WE’VE ACHIEVED OUR MISSION.

In Their Own Words

Our UNITE photo booth is on the move! Where should we go next? Tell us athttps://as.myngc.com/UNITE

HOMEFRONT


WOUNDED

WARRIORS GOLF IN SAN ANTONIO

By Katherine Thompson

total package in supporting combat-wounded veterans both in Texas and around the country.

Our team worked closely with MWSF to reach out to local veterans, wounded or undergoing treatment and therapy at San Antonio Military Medical Center to invite them and their families to experience the VTO. Many of these veterans are participants in MWSF’s Skills4Life program, an outdoor rehabilitation initiative that uses golf as one of many therapy and relationship-building tools.

Why Golf?As thousands of servicemen and women returned home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan dur-ing the last 15 years, many came back in need of help. The numbers are staggering: More than 52,000 wounded in action since 2001, more than 138,000 suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and nearly 328,000 diagnosed with traumatic brain injury.

As more and more volunteers look-ed for ways to help, unconventional rehabilitation tools made them-selves known. Moreover, they proved effective. A wide range of outdoor activities like golf, horseback riding and fly-fishing took struggling veterans out of their solitude.

Home to three U.S. Air Force installa-tions, the oldest Air Force museum, one Army post, the Department of Defense’s largest medical center and one of the most advanced, state-of-the-art military rehabilitation centers in the country, San Antonio has earned the title.

It has been home to a consistent military presence for nearly 300 years. The city is also home to Air Education Training Command, the customer of the Advanced Pilot Training program known as T-X.

Recently a cross-sector T-X team, with participation from Mission Systems colleagues, partnered with the Military Warrior Support Foundation (MWSF) to sponsor the Wounded Veteran Chalet at the Valero Texas Open (VTO). VTO was held in Military City, USA earli-er this year, and is a top earner on the PGA Tour in charitable dollars, with more than $100 million in contributions donated to date. Our sponsorship enabled hundreds of combat-wounded veterans and their families to experience the Open and enjoy the event with their fellow veterans.

Based in San Antonio, MWSF does more than the usual veteran outreach. From rehabilitation initiatives and building homes for military families, to financial education, job placement and fallen hero family support, MWSF is the

These activities connected them with other veterans facing similar hardships in an environment that provided physical challenge, camaraderie and achievement. For those learning to live with new prosthetic limbs, for example, or other physical injuries, these activities reinforced core strength, balance and, perhaps most importantly, patience. Many of the wounded veterans we had the privilege of getting to know that weekend learned to love the game of golf, as the sport provided them a helping hand on their road to recovery. They were there for the golf. We were there for them.

San Antonio … affectionately nicknamed “Military City, USA,” boasts one of the

highest active duty and retired military populations in the country.Military Warrior Support Foundation

(MWSF) uses unconventional rehabilitation tools to help combat-wounded veterans transition into civilian life.

Photos courtesy of Military Warriors Support Foundation

“It was an amazing experience to be that close to the action all week! For a guy who was saved by the game of golf and to live in Texas, you can’t get much better than the Valero Texas Open! It was such a special event, I got to see the Pros and for a few days feel like I was special and got to have some access that not a lot of people get to experience! Thank you guys so much!”Tim Gaestel

“I truly appreciate all the effort and

time that went into the Valero Texas

Open. The generosity and support

from all of you are not unnoticed.

Attending this event you sponsored

was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

I will never forget. It inspired me to

push further in my life and to never

settle. The game of golf is probably

one of the most crucial aspects in my

recovery/therapy ...”

Best regards,

Cameron Crosby


ACROSS THE SECTOR

SUMMER FUN DOWN SOUTH

In June, the 5th Annual Regional Florida Summer Games drew 800 employees — plus their friends and families — from Florida sites including Melbourne, Orlando, Apopka and St. Augustine. The biggest East Coast summer games yet, the event took place in the Florida Institute of Technology’s Clemente Center Gymnasium to accommodate the unprecedented turnout. Unlike the West Coast games, the Florida event is for Northrop Grumman employees only; no other companies participate. Because not everyone is an athlete, participants took part in novel activi-ties such as a LEGO challenge and a Rubick’s Cube race. Other activities included a digital scavenger hunt and traditional games including volleyball and dodgeball.

possible in the first place. “We’ve made a lot of effort in recent years to get the other Southern California sites involved to unite across sites,” said Belisle.

Mechanical engineer and 2016 lead organizer Lindsey Sweeney took on the task of organizing the games long-distance. “I’m located in Rancho Bernardo, and this is the first year the organizer has been outside the South Bay,” she said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support from employees across the sector.”

Back on the beach, Human Fac-tors engineer Janice E. Johnson is having a good time cheering on #TeamNorthropGrumman (which will ultimately come in second place, with SpaceX winning by nine points). She stands just a few feet away from a line of Aerospace Systems employees, feet dug deep into the sand, as they pick up a rope for tug-of-war. And she’s doing some networking on the side.

“We work closely with these people on projects and we’re all trying to do a good job for our customers,” said Johnson. “We’re all here to do the same thing. It’s all about national security.”

To find out how to get involved in next year’s games, email [email protected].

As it turned out, employees had so much fun they started telling other people about it, and before long, word spread outside the company. The following summer, they invited Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to join in. More than 100 people showed up, and Northrop Grumman walked away with the trophy.

Fast forward to 2016. It’s an early summer day with temperatures in the mid-70s, and upward of 2,000 participants and supporters from 20-plus companies have gathered on Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey, Calif., for the 14th Annual Aerospace Summer Games. Company-branded tents line the perimeter of the beach. The sand is hot but the breeze is cool. Planes roar overhead, a reminder that Los Angeles International Airport is nearby. Almost 600 Northrop Grumman employees in blue T-shirts are here to connect with colleagues, enjoy themselves — and win.

Winning isn’t the top priority for today, but it’s on everyone’s mind. What began as a grassroots effort featuring low-key activities like paper-airplane building and sand castle building has evolved into an intense tournament, with employees and interns competing

in high-octane sports like volleyball, tug-of-war and sand soccer. The Connect1NG employee resource group sponsors and coordinates the event for Aerospace Systems. A 42-page rule book governs play.

Baadal Patel, manager, Innovation and Transformation, helped organize the event in the early days, and he was involved when participation started to grow exponentially in 2010. “We held the games in conjunction with a Connect1NG conference in L.A. that year, so we really amped up the promotion,” he said. “We started a Facebook group, and that got people from other companies excited about participating.”

Putting the event together takes a team of 30-40 people, according to Michael Belisle, aeronautical engineer and Connect1NG South Bay president. “Figuring out the logis-tics, coordinating communications, organizing the teams, finding captains, promoting the event, rounding up supplies, scheduling executives … it’s a big undertaking,” he said. “Preplanning starts about three months before the event.”

Good-natured competitiveness is evident, but so is the spirit of collaboration that makes the event

“THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING THE GAMES. IT’S SUCH A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO MEET

OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR LINE OF WORK AND SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER COOPERATE WITH

PEOPLE IN OUR INDUSTRY.”

—Janice E. Johnson Human Factors engineer

By Mary Kozaitis, Communications Intern

The 2016 Aerospace Summer Games include some of summertime’s best activities.

Photos by Michael Regan

Sand, Sun and

By Brooke Miner

In summer 2002, Boeing’s young aerospace professionals coordinated a beach competition to make the most of the sunny Southern California weather and have some fun.

““Quality — Every Time

26 FALL 2016

ACROSS THE SECTOR

27INSIDE AEROSPACE

By Brooke Miner

First-TimeWith thousands of employees at

dozens of sites across the country, Aerospace Systems is a big sector in more ways than one. Our work

is shaping our nation’s future and making the world a safer place — all

thanks to individuals and teams who refuse to accept anything less than the

highest standard of quality.The My Quality Counts award,

established in 2014, recognizes those employees who never forget

that quality is priority No. 1. Here are a few of their stories.

THE VALUE OF A FRESH PERSPECTIVEBefore joining Aerospace Systems in New Town, N.D., Manufacturing engineer Rob Barnes spent 21 years in the U.S. Air Force — the first 13 handling cruise missiles. This invaluable perspective drives his quality-first approach.

Barnes started at Northrop Grumman as a calibration technician but soon took on additional responsibilities and applied for an engineering position. When the calibration technician who replaced him left, Barnes stepped up and did both jobs for several months.

Based on his military experience, he recognized and proactively pursued opportunities to help his site improve its processes, developing a system that made the work location safer and reduced effort on a particular task by 33 percent. As the site’s affordability contact for F/A-18, he continues to identify and implement improvements.

There’s clear value in knowing how a workplace operates, but Barnes thinks it can be equally valuable not to know — at least at first.

THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR COMING FROM A DIFFERENT CAREER FIELD. IT’S GOOD TO SEE THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY SOMETIMES.

—Rob Barnes

SMALL SITE, BIG ACHIEVEMENTSIt’s the biggest project you’ve ever worked on. Your team needs to produce a record number of deliverables on an aggressive schedule without letting quality slip. Oh, and all your experienced colleagues have moved to another program, so to make it happen, you need to bring 16 or 17 new teammates up to speed.

That’s the situation Danny Giamalva, Mark Reed, Alvin Roberts and Paul Chambless found themselves in last year. Their Fire Scout Production Team in Moss Point, Miss., needed to train a crew of technicians and complete an unprecedented number (16) of MQ-8C unmanned aircraft within a year.

They didn’t just achieve their goal: They blew it out of the water. The team delivered the final four air-craft ahead of schedule and not only maintained but improved their quality and factory accountability metrics.

Their unrelenting focus on first-time quality comes from a firsthand understanding of why they need to get it right.

MOST OF US HAVE SPENT TIME IN THE MILITARY, AND WE KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE TO RELY ON YOUR EQUIPMENT. THAT’S WHAT DRIVES US. OUR QUAL- ITY REFLECTS OUR ETHICS, AND THAT’S SOMETHING WE TAKE PERSONALLY.

—Paul Chambless

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOPKeeping 20,000-plus Aerospace Systems employees informed about what’s going on across the sector is a formidable task. Fortunately, Employee Communications representative Shana McGregor-Hota is up for the challenge. It’s her responsibility to make sure all email announcements and news items go out on schedule and free of errors. So far this year, she has sent more than 150 email announcements, reviewed countless more for colleagues and posted scores of items to the intra-net newsfeed.

As McGregor-Hota puts it, “Doing my best work lets others do their best work.” That means making sure each announcement and news item she releases is grammatically correct, stylistically consistent and clear enough that employees understand what to do with the information. She maintains a high-level view of events and projects across the sector, using that insight to advise on when — and how — to get messages out most effectively.

MY WORK REFLECTS ON ME, BUT IT ALSO REFLECTS ON MY TEAM, OUR MANAGER, OUR LEADERSHIP AND ULTIMATELY THE SECTOR. WE CAN ALL MOTIVATE EACH OTHER TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF QUALITY IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

—Shana McGregor-Hota

“

For more about Global Mission Excellence and the monthly winners of the My Quality Counts Award, visit:https://as.myngc.com/Communities/GlobalQuality/Pages/My-Quality-Counts-Award.aspx

28 FALL 2016 29INSIDE AEROSPACE

ACROSS THE SECTOR

Jalene Hernandez credits her internship at Northrop Grumman with helping her

decide her career path.

Photos by Michael Regan

EXPERIENCELEARNINGBy Bonnie Poindexter

What better way for students to explore opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) than to pair them with Northrop Grumman engineers and let them tackle real-life work? That’s exactly the mission behind Northrop Grumman’s High School Internship programs.

“I was given the opportunity to not only witness the daily lives of engineers but perform under the same expectations. What I value the most about the program is that it encourages young people like myself to increase our breadth in engineering.”

—Jalene Hernandez Technical intern

Aerospace Systems’ High School STEM Internship Program pilot-ed last summer at the Redondo Beach, Calif., site with help from the University of Southern California (USC). Gifted and promising stu-dents within the Los Angeles area were invited to apply to take part in this experiential learning program. It’s part of a direct pathway to attending USC following their high school graduation.

The program was so successful that San Diego State University and Florida Institute of Technology have teamed with Aerospace Systems to offer the program to local students in 2017.

“Until I began this internship in 11th grade, I never truly understood the

concept of becoming an engineer,” explained Jalene Hernandez, technical intern from Fremont High School.

Last year, Hernandez helped complete verification on the James Webb Space Telescope. “This program was truly the most influential when deciding my ca-reer path. It reassured my love for space,” she said. Hernandez plans to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego.

Overall, 26 students participated in Aerospace Systems’ high school internship programs. They were from Redondo Beach, San Diego and Melbourne, Fla.

“Experiential learning helps students gain priceless work-related social skills and maturi-ty and increases their confidence about the future,”

said Darin Gray, director, USC Viterbi STEM Educational Outreach Programs.

“When industry collaborates with academia to develop pathways that maximize experiential learning, we reverse trends by engaging more students as they progress through their K-12 educational years,” Gray continued. “This creates more engaged members of the workforce who, in time, will be well positioned to compete globally.”

By Warren Comer

THRIVING IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

Growing up there, he remembers some of the Japanese holidays he celebrated in school like Boys’ and Girls’ Days, with both marking a celebration of future generations.

“I always assumed the way we cele-brated some of these Japanese events in Hawaii was similar to how they are celebrated in Japan,” said Tamashiro. “After experiencing them firsthand in Japan, I found out that in many cases there was a big difference in how they are traditionally perceived and celebrated.”

As Tamashiro ends his rotational stay in Japan and looks for new opportunities, he continually reflects on the positive experiences he’s had so far.

“Japan’s culture is very much focused on the family and particular groups, like your co-workers or company,” he said. “It’s really helped broaden my perspective on how I see the world.”

Not only is the company focused on supporting these priority efforts, it’s working to improve connections in the region to further foster engagement with government and industry representatives. In the long term, the goal is to build greater understanding of the innovative capabilities that Northrop Grumman can offer to Japan.

In 2014, Tyler Tamashiro became Northrop Grumman’s first global engineer representative for Japan, working to expand the company’s presence in Tokyo. Since then, Tamashiro has spent much of his time defining this new role as the primary technical contact to customers and industry partners in Japan.

“As a conduit between Northrop Grumman and the customer, I work to gain a mutual understanding and resolution on a range of subjects,” said Tamashiro. “Face-to-face interaction is particularly important in a country such as Japan where there is a greater chance of

details and subtleties being lost in translation.”

Tamashiro further explained that working to engage organizations and promote employment in technical careers has been a major focus of his duties. He’s worked with the University of Tokyo and Tokyo Institute of Technology, offering guidance in the development of unmanned vehicles and other aerospace capabilities.

A sought-after destination for ex-patriates, Japan also has a defined culture that can be difficult for those on the outside to understand. However, Tamashiro notes that his experience transitioning from Los Angeles to Tokyo was surprisingly smooth.

Being of Japanese descent has also given Tamashiro some unique experiences. Hailing from Hawaii, he says that the culture there has taken many different traits from various ethnicities, including Japan.

ACROSS THE SECTOR


Nestled in the political heart of Tokyo’s Minato Ward, Northrop Grumman’s corporate office in Japan has steadily grown to prepare for upcoming business opportunities, including the RQ-4B Global Hawk and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

Tyler Tamashiro (front right) participates in “o-Hanami” — a traditional custom of viewing flowering cherry blossoms in Japan during a picnic with Northrop Grumman employees visiting from the United States.

Photo courtesy of Tyler Tamashiro

Engineer represents Northrop Grumman in Japan

“Tokyo does an amazing job in keeping things orderly and clean amid the hustle and bustle. I think it has to do with a strong sense of respect and social etiquette that resonates across many aspects of Japanese life. Being open to new perspectives and ways of doing things have helped to make it a positive experience here.”

—Tyler Tamashiro engineer

32 FALL 2016

“How do they do it?” I wonder. It doesn’t take long — maybe 5 minutes or less. They get you to care so quickly. You become part of the story, part of the journey. Those are my thoughts at the start of so many classic Disney movies, which I have been enjoying all over again with my two young daughters as they get lost in the magic.

At Northrop Grumman, we have an engaging way of welcoming employees called the New Employee Experience, which to me is a bit like an HD IMAX, beaming with interactive sessions, tours and panels. Gone is the orientation equivalent of a mundane black and white documentary. Our hook? Total immersion at the very start of a new hire’s career with the company.

It is imperative that we inspire new employees to be an active part of this company’s mission and journey. But as teams approach this endeavor, armed with novel ideas about exposure and inclusion — just like a movie — no matter how great the introduction, the rest has to deliver. Exciting trailers alone aren’t enough, just as an intriguing welcome to Northrop Grumman isn’t the end. It has to include a clear vision of exciting career possibilities that can be achieved well into the future.

expertise. So the next time you’re at an ERG event, a meeting or just walking around your workplace, help strengthen inclusion by doing something as simple as finding someone you don’t know and introducing yourself.

As Humphrey Bogart says in “Casablanca,” it could be “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

As we continue to grow from the contributions of employees’ diverse backgrounds and experiences, we have learned that inclusion is vital to success. Not to be confused with Kumbaya sessions on the beach, real inclusion is coming together symbiotically to accomplish a common mission. Whether actors are off to see the wizard, delivering space station plans to the rebellion, or preserving freedom and advancing human discovery, they can’t do it alone. And neither can Northrop Grumman. We need dedicated, talented people.

Walt Disney once said, “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Northrop Grumman Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) reinforce that concept companywide every day.

The Connect1NG ERG has been link-ing employees globally for more than a decade. Through the execu-tion of various events geared toward connecting products, colleagues, communities, leadership and culture, Connect1NG has laid the frame-work for employees to meet others from diverse backgrounds through common interests.

ACROSS THE SECTOR

Whether it’s a commun-ity cleanup, a weekend trip to a ballgame or a lunch and learn about cybersecurity, Connect1NG has numer-ous ways to foster inclusion. It’s part of a large family of ERGs, working together to allow employees a chance to create their own story — their own experience.All ERGs collectively support an inclusive environment for employees to find their home at Northrop Grumman. The Northrop Grumman Women’s International Network, for instance, provides support for all employees with a focus on inspiring women to lead, succeed and excel personally and professionally.

Its support of the annual national Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work event allows children of employees to see firsthand the passion their parents bring to their jobs every day.

And the Asian-Pacific Professional Network has really upped the ante on professional development and advancing education by hosting the University of California, San Diego’s Elevate Leadership Certificate Series in Melbourne, Fla.

ERGs are a great way to not only grow your network but improve your community and broaden your

Learn by doing ... Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day is one of many fun and educational events supported by ERGs.

Photo by Jaysen Turner

INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES TO FIND THEIR HOME AT NORTHROP GRUMMAN

By Tom Comer

ERGHIGHLIGHTING

INCLUSIONRATED

33INSIDE AEROSPACE

Connect1NG always comes out in full force at the Aerospace Summer Games.



By Bonnie PoindexterBRING IT ON!

Held at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo., this spring, the event boasted a total of 600 teams—more than 21,000 students— who came together from the U.S. and various countries around the globe, including China, Israel and Australia. BCR impressively finished in 7th place during qualifications and ultimately finished as semi-finalists within a division of 75 teams.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recog-nition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit that designs

innovative programs intended to motivate young people to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

The majority of high school seniors on this year’s BCR team will be starting at leading universities in the fall, majoring in such fields as engineering, manufacturing, fabrication or computer science. Undoubtedly, the experience of a world competition underscored their passion for these innovative areas and will inspire them to continue to push the boundaries of learning and discovery.

Northrop Grumman is the founding sponsor of BRC, established in 1999, and the company supports a number of other teams within the global FIRST organization. BCR expressed gratitude for the support received from five Northrop Grumman mentors, each of whom volunteered an average of 250 hours. From coaching and tweaking project software, to helping finalize travel arrangements and secure funding, mentors helped the team meet the challenge.

“FIRST robotics provides an amazing avenue to inspire students to pursue STEM related fields,”

said mentor Ken Sterk of Engineering Systems. “We have had graduates come work at Northrop Grumman as a direct result of their experiences with FIRST robotics.”

COMMUNITY

The Northrop Grumman-sponsored Beach Cities Robotics (BCR) team, comprised of 40 high school students from Los Angeles and Hermosa Beach, Calif., recently competed at the FIRST Robotics World Championships.

Northrop Grumman is the founding sponsor of Beach Cities Robotics.

Photo by Brad Johnson

Help grow our world-class workforce with diverse and experienced professionals like you.

Our Employee Referral Awards Program (ERAP) provides employees with cash awards for each

referral hired on eligible positions.

We are all recruiters.

Learn more at https://as.myngc.com/HIRE

© 2016 Northrop Grumman Corporation

E-2D

© 2016 Northrop Grumman Corporation

THE VALUE OFKNOWING TODAY’S

CHALLENGES REQUIRE

TOMORROW’S ADVANTAGES.

For more than 50 years, Northrop Grumman

has partnered with Japan to build a security

environment that has protected their national

sovereignty and will do so for the foreseeable

future. We are honored to continue that legacy

with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which

will ensure that self-defense forces are

never surprised by potential threats and have

the situational awareness needed to make the

right decisions. That’s how we’re supporting

Japan’s national security into the future.

w w w. n o r t h r o p g r u m m a n . c o m / jap an

their mission is our mission - connecting retirees from trw and northrop...

Documents