CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Litton Marine Systems, a unit of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), has received U. S. Coast Guard certification for a new training course in Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS).

The 40-hour course is being offered at Litton Marine Systems’ worldwide headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia. It includes classroom instruction, individual “hands-on” training on ECDIS simulator workstations and team training on Litton’s complete ship bridge simulator.

Under the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Approval, effective August 1, 2001, the new Litton training course satisfies the international requirements for ECDIS training under the 1995 amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW-95) code. The course syllabus closely follows the International Maritime Organization (IMO) model course 1.27 for the operational use of ECDIS. Students must demonstrate competence by completing a variety of practice exercises and passing a written examination. Certificates of Training will indicate that the participant meets the ECDIS training requirement of the STCW code.

Litton Marine Systems Inc. (LMS), a unit of Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3), provides smart navigation solutions for the marine industry worldwide. LMS manufactures and markets products under the Sperry Marine, Decca and C. Plath brand names. LMS provides customer service and support through offices in 19 countries and authorized service depots in more than 300 locations worldwide.

Headquartered in Baltimore, Md., Northrop Grumman ES3 is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense electronics and systems including airborne radar systems, navigation systems, electronic warfare systems, precision weapons, air traffic control systems, air defense systems, communications systems, space systems, marine systems, oceanic and naval systems, logistics systems, and automation and information systems.