Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) was awarded “Project of the Year” for successfully demonstrating the first-ever launch and recovery of an unmanned aircraft from a carrier at sea and for paving the way for the Navy’s future carrier-based unmanned system capability. Pictured at the award ceremony are (L to R): Peggy Nelson, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector vice president of Engineering and Global Product Development, and Northrop Grumman engineers Ian Trettel, Phil Youngren, Neha Desai-Shah, Nelson Acosta, Terry Heinrich, Katherine Ha, Rendy Cheng, Ben Naravage, and Eugene Fung.
The Engineers’ Council named Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Project of the Year during its 60th annual honors and awards banquet earlier this month.
The X-47B earned the distinction “for successfully demonstrating the first-ever launch and recovery of an unmanned aircraft from a carrier at sea and for paving the way for the Navy’s future carrier-based unmanned system capability,” according to a news release.
Northrop Grumman also received individual honors, including Stuart Linsky, vice president, Space Systems Communication Programs, who received the Jack Northrop Spirit of Innovation Award. This award honors individual technical contributions that inspire innovation and advance the progress of the aerospace industry.
Mechanical Engineer Ling Wu received the William B. Johnson International Inter-Professional Founders Award for leadership and dedication to advancing the art and science of engineering. Other Northrup Grumman Engineers were honored throughout the evening as well.
“Our Engineers’ Council Award winners exemplify the ingenuity and dedication to warfighters that are at the heart of our business,” said Steve Toner, vice president, western region engineering and logistics, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, according to the release. “These accomplished employees continue to push the boundaries of technological innovation and performance, making them very deserving of this prestigious honor.”
