NGC Wins VisIOn Information Operations Contract

Cyber-Based Mission Planning Tool to Support Information Operations for All U.S. Military Commands

(Reston, Va., June 26, 2009) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a one-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) task order valued at $4 million to develop the software architecture for the Virtual Integrated Support for Information Operations eNvironment (VisIOn) system, which will provide situational awareness and mission planning capabilities for information operations across all U.S. military commands.

Information operations employs electronic warfare, cyber network operations, military deception, psychological warfare and operations security to disrupt enemy decision-making, while protecting information necessary for U.S. warfighters to make critical decisions.

Under the task order, Northrop Grumman will provide a VisIOn baseline system integrated upon a network-centric, service-oriented architecture. The task order is the first phase of the VisIOn program and was awarded through the Defense Information Systems Agency's Encore II umbrella contract.

VisIOn is a cyber-based mission planning tool for the information operations warfighter. It is an easy-to-use, web-based program to develop a specific and deliberate course of action based on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data coming in from across the battle space. VisIOn will monitor the information operations situation by continually mining intelligence data from a wide array of sources, ensure situational awareness to warfighters, evaluate potential plans, and develop and execute appropriate courses of action.

"Information is more critical than ever to the success of our warfighters, and VisIOn will help commanders collect, protect and use that information to plan and execute critical missions," said Kathy Warden, vice president of the Cyber and Signals Intelligence Systems business unit within Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "Northrop Grumman understands the necessity of providing warfighters the best possible information operations mission planning capability. To that end, we have established a team to employ subject matter experts with critical information operations field experience."

U.S. Joint Forces Command and U.S. Strategic Command have formed a strategic partnership to develop, manage and execute VisIOn with oversight by the Pentagon's Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

As an information systems powerhouse, Northrop Grumman is a top provider of integrated, complex, cyber security solutions to the U.S. government, state and local governments and commercial businesses. As an industry leader in all aspects of computer network operations, Northrop Grumman is offering customers innovative solutions to help secure the nation's cyber future.

Source : Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) - click here for more information