Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned System Successfully Completes
Testing Under Extreme Environmental Conditions

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 14, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the support of the United
States Navy, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and its industry partners
(Sikorsky/Schweizer, Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, FLIR Systems, Cubic, Kearfott,
Rockwell-Collins, General Electric, Sierra Nevada, Telephonics, and L-3
Communications) today successfully completed a rigorous set of flight
demonstrations of the MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical unmanned aerial system (VUAS) in
the United Arab Emirates under extreme environmental conditions.

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The test flights were conducted in early July over a ten day period in the
United Arab Emirates. They validated Fire Scout’s steady system maturation and
helped signal its readiness for the U.S. Navy’s upcoming Operational Evaluation
of the system, planned for late 2010 aboard the USS Halyburton (FFG-40).

“We welcome Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy to the UAE for continued testing
of the Fire Scout,” said Ali Al Yafei of ADASI (Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems
Investment). “As a VUAS, Fire Scout has many unique capabilities to offer and
we’re looking forward to reviewing the results of this in-country testing.”

The Fire Scout demonstrations included numerous takeoffs and landings in hot,
windy and sandy conditions in temperatures as high as 47 degrees Celsius (117
degrees Fahrenheit). The VUAS also conducted various test flights at altitudes
up to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) . These demonstration missions included
non-line-of-sight operations that showcased Fire Scout’s ability to operate
autonomously in remote locations, and its FLIR Systems electro-optical/infrared
(EO/IR) sensing capabilities used to locate and acquire targets.

Video imagery from the testing was presented today at a post-testing event to an
audience of interested multi-national government agencies, and domestic and
international media. The imagery, a compilation of video produced by Fire
Scout’s sensors during field trials, demonstrated the VUAS’s real-time
imagery-transmission capability, a vital element of the intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance missions it performs for military forces.

“Today’s demonstration was very impressive and reinforces the continued
maturation of the Fire Scout system and its capabilities,” said John Brooks,
president of Northrop Grumman International Inc. “Northrop Grumman thanks the
UAE for being such a gracious host and offering us the opportunity to test Fire
Scout in the extreme heat of summer. The UAE represents an important partnership
for Northrop Grumman and our customers internationally demand the best. We are
committed to continuing to meet and exceed their expectations.”

The only U.S. Department of Defense VUAS program of record, Fire Scout is a
mature, flexible and reliable system whose capabilities can serve as a true
force multiplier.

“The capabilities that Fire Scout delivers to warfighters really stood out
today,” said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager for the
Strike and Surveillance Systems Division of Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems
sector. “It’s clear from this demonstration that Fire Scout can do exactly what
it’s designed to do: extend the range at which we can gather crucial information
during peacekeeping or wartime missions.”

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000
employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace,
electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to
government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

CONTACT: Nathan Drevna
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
(703) 741-7393
(571) 286-8440 mobile
nathan.drevna@ngc.com