ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Sept. 23 -- Northrop Grumman Corp. has named Arnold R. Welch vice president of Electro-Optical and Infrared (EO/IR) Products for the company's Defensive Systems Div. (DSD). Welch served most recently as director of EO/IR Products for DSD. Northrop Grumman's EO/IR programs include the LITENING II airborne laser target designator and navigation pods and the AN/AAQ-24(V) Directional Infrared Countermeasures System, as well as the production of future laser-based countermeasures systems.Welch has over 25 years of experience in developing, fielding and managing electro-optical systems for use in such applications as military and commercial aircraft, ground vehicles, and space-based integrated systems. He has worked extensively with defense electronic systems employing sensors and directed-energy IR countermeasures, space-based pointing and tracking, atmospheric compensation sensors, and automatic target recognition.