<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-27</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001133421</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NOC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001069360</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LARSON CHARLES R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Stock Option - Right to Buy</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>87.96</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-27</value></transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-05-27</value></deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>87.96</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2003-05-27</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2013-05-28</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>4500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Grant of Option to buy shares of common stock under the Northrop Grumman 1995 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors in transactions exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3. Grant is fully vested on grant date.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Kathleen M. Salmas, Attorney-in-fact for Charles R. Larson</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


