DAYTON, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced it is serving as a presenting sponsor for the 14th annual United States Air Force Marathon, scheduled for Sept. 18, 2010 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
This marks the third consecutive year Northrop Grumman has supported the marathon at the presenting-sponsor level and the fourth year the company has sponsored the event, which this year occurs on the sixty-third anniversary of the U.S. Air Force's founding in 1947.
"Northrop Grumman's strong support of the marathon at the presenting-sponsor level illustrates our company's commitment to the United States Air Force and is just one example of our deep respect for the service and its mission," said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Strike and Surveillance Systems Division, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.
Company officials noted the support of the marathon at the highest sponsorship level also reflects Northrop Grumman's connection to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Dayton area in general.
"Northrop Grumman employs approximately 550 people in the community, and most of these workers directly support Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Research Laboratory, so we're very well established in the area," said Jay Jabour, corporate lead executive for Northrop Grumman in Dayton. "But we have more than people here; the base is home to several aircraft our company has produced, including B-2 stealth bombers and Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems."
According to the U.S. Air Force, registration for the event is moving at a brisk pace. Other events surrounding the full marathon include a half-marathon, a 10K race and a 5K race. The service also is sanctioning races at deployed locations, all in commemoration of the service's anniversary.
"The Air Force Marathon has grown every year, and that growth is due in large part to the support of our presenting sponsors like Northrop Grumman," said Molly Louden, race director. "The success of our race is a direct reflection of the level of commitment we receive from our sponsors."
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. Please visit for more information.
CONTACT: Tom Henson Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (310) 625-8611 thomas.henson@ngc.com