Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop new opportunities for mission solutions in the United States and Japan. Under this MOU, Northrop Grumman and MELCO will jointly pursue opportunities to deliver key capabilities, including electronic warfare, radar, power systems, connectivity, communications and processing, modeling and simulation, underwater sensors and uncrewed underwater vehicles. Both companies will collaborate on strategic industrial co-production opportunities and full lifecycle capabilities, including logistics and sustainment. Northrop Grumman has a long history in Japan dating back to the late 1950s when the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) used the Grumman Avenger aircraft for maritime patrol, the Albatross aircraft for search and rescue, and the Tracker aircraft for anti-submarine warfare.
Kenn Todorov, sector vice president, strategic growth, mission systems, Northrop Grumman: “Our agreement with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation expands our long-standing collaboration to promote Japanese industry and technology. By bringing our mission systems capabilities to a trusted partner who has been providing defense systems to the Japanese Ministry of Defense for over 50 years, we further our commitment to Japan and continued stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Masahiko Arai, corporate executive and senior general manager, defense systems, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: “Through our collaboration with Northrop Grumman, we aim to maximize each other’s strengths and create new value. By combining capabilities, we are confident that we can provide better products and services for our customers.”
This close partnership with Japan continues today with Northrop Grumman providing support to all the major branches of the JSDF on a range of defense, security and information systems programs. Northrop Grumman provides major F-35A components and systems to the Japan Ministry of Defense. The partnerships with Japanese industry focus on radar, communication and navigation and the center fuselage for the F-35A. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) operates the Northrop Grumman Longbow Radar and APR-39 radar warning receiver on the AH-64D. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) operates the Northrop Grumman Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) and AQS-24A mine hunting sonar from the MCH-101 Airborne Mine Countermeasure Helicopter. TThe Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) operates various Northrop Grumman mission and flight avionics such as radar and electronic warfare, navigation systems and IFF systems on F-4, F-15, F-35, E-767 AWACS and C-130 aircraft.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense company. With 95,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers. As of the end of 2022, Northrop Grumman organized its business around four main sectors, each of which comprises two or more business areas: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems.
