Northrop Grumman,
LONDON: Northrop Grumman Corporation welcomed the opportunity to participate in the enquiry by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee into the UK-U.S. Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty, how it is implemented, and its effectiveness in removing barriers to defense trade and technology transfer and improving cooperation between the U.S. and UK Armed Forces.
“This Treaty is an important step in strengthening bilateral defense co-operation between two close allies and defense partners,” said Graham Thornton, managing director of Northrop Grumman UK. “It will reduce the barriers to the exchange of defense goods, services and information-sharing, which will increase the speed of response to operational requirements. The Treaty has the potential to go a long way towards fundamentally reshaping UK – U.S. security and military collaboration in the coming years.”
Northrop Grumman UK, in its submission to the Committee, strongly recommended that the UK government endorse the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty and that UK and U.S. officials work together to make the Treaty regime as user-friendly as possible. It will allow UK and U.S. companies to employ its provisions to their greatest effect and maximum benefit of UK and U.S. security and defense forces in the future.
“Any treaty regime should enable true collaboration — going in both directions — across the Atlantic,” said Jerry McGinn, Northrop Grumman director for U.S.-UK ITAR Policy and chairman of the Aerospace industries Association U.S. – UK Defense Treaty working group, who gave oral evidence to the Committee. “A partnership between designated US and UK entities, for example, would create more opportunities for U.S. companies to work together with our UK partners — as well as with UK branches of our own companies — to address rapidly some of our common problems, programs, improving responsiveness to the needs of US and UK forces and leading to more innovation and the development of more effective systems for both U.S. and UK forces.”
Northrop Grumman has a long standing relationship with and presence in the UK, dating back more than 20-years. Today, the UK remains a critically important market for the company as a supplier base and a source for technology partners.
Northrop Grumman in the UK operates from locations across the UK — Fareham, Chester, Coventry, New Malden, Peterborough, RAF Waddington and Solihull — providing avionics, communications, electronic warfare systems, marine navigation systems, robotics, C4I and mission planning, IT systems and software development. Northrop Grumman established its UK corporate office in London in early 2006.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
