Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced that its board of directors has elected Kenneth L. Bedingfield corporate vice president, controller and chief accounting officer, effective in 2012. He will initially join the company on Nov. 28, 2011, as a corporate vice president reporting to James F. Palmer, corporate vice president and chief financial officer. He will assume the duties of controller and chief accounting officer after the company files its 2011 annual report. Kenneth N. Heintz, the company's current controller and chief accounting officer, will retire from the company in 2012.