Monday, July 13, 2009

Northrop Grumman Completes Refueling and Complex Overhaul Within Budget; Redelivers USS Carl Vinson to U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman Completes Refueling and Complex Overhaul Within
Budget; Redelivers USS Carl Vinson to U.S. Navy
July 13, 2009

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) redelivered the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), to the U.S. Navy July 11. The redelivery follows the completion of a successful three-and-a-half-year evolution known as a refueling and complex overhaul. The project was performed by the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va. and was completed within budget.

Redelivery also follows successful sea trials. Sea trials are
conducted to test systems, components and demonstrate operations at
sea. The trials also include high-speed runs and a demonstration of the
carrier's other capabilities.

"The redelivery of the Carl Vinson is testimony to the
tremendous teamwork between our crew, the Northrop Grumman workers, and
the Supervisor of Shipbuilding," said Rear Adm. (select) Ted Carter,
who was the Commanding Officer of USS Carl Vinson during the last two
and a half years of the RCOH project. "Without that triad of effort, I
would not be able to tell you of all the great work accomplished during
the overhaul period, which resulted in our ship returning to sea as one
of the most advanced ships in the world."

The refueling and complex overhaul is performed only once in a
carrier's 50-year life and includes extensive modernization work to
more than 2,300 compartments, hundreds of system upgrades, and over 20
million man-hours of work, to include defueling and refueling the
nuclear reactors.

"The success of this project reflects the approach and
relationship that this team has had for the past three and a half years
-- One Team, One Goal, One Mission. We collectively could not have been
successful without the talent, dedication and teamwork of our
shipbuilders, CVN 70 crew members, Supship and Navsea personnel and our
suppliers," said Jim Hughes, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's vice
president of aircraft carrier overhauls. "We've come together to bring
CVN 70 back to life for another 25 years of service, and we did it
within budget despite many challenges encountered along the way. This
great achievement demonstrates our commitment to work with the Navy to
deliver the best products back to the fleet while making sure we meet
our cost requirements and improved financial predictability."

USS Carl Vinson is the third ship of the Nimitz class to
undergo this major life-cycle milestone. The carrier arrived in Newport
News on Nov. 11, 2005, and more than 3,500 Northrop Grumman employees
worked on the project during peak periods.

Named for former U.S. Rep. Carl Vinson, the USS Carl Vinson
(CVN 70) was built in Newport News, Va. by Northrop Grumman
Shipbuilding and was christened in 1980. The congressman attended the
christening ceremony at age 96 and became the first living American to
have a Navy ship named in his honor. The ship was commissioned by the
Navy in 1982.

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.

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