The company plans to make the move by 2011.
"As a global security company with a large customer base in the Washington, D.C., region, this move will enable us to better serve our nation and customers," said Wes Bush, Northrop Grumman's CEO and president said in a prepared statement.
The company, whose biggest customer is the Pentagon, makes planes, ship, missiles and other military equipment as well as providing other technical services. The vendor also has IT outsourcing partnerships with state and local governments, including the commonwealth of Virginia, San Diego County and the city of Indianapolis.
While approximately 300 employees would move with the headquarters, more than 30,000 will remain in California. Although the company is moving some corporate staff from Los Angeles, the state remains a significant location for research, development and manufacturing.