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Debt
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt
10. DEBT
Commercial Paper
The company maintains a commercial paper program that serves as a source of short-term financing with capacity to issue unsecured commercial paper notes up to $2.5 billion. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.
Credit Facility
The company maintains a five-year senior unsecured credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $2.5 billion (the “2022 Credit Agreement”) that matures in August 2027. The revolving credit facility established under the 2022 Credit Agreement is intended to support the company’s commercial paper program and other general corporate purposes. Commercial paper borrowings reduce the amount available for borrowing under the 2022 Credit Agreement. At December 31, 2023, there were no borrowings outstanding under this facility.
The 2022 Credit Agreement contains generally customary terms and conditions, including covenants restricting the company’s ability to sell all or substantially all of its assets, merge or consolidate with another entity or undertake other fundamental changes and incur liens. The company also cannot permit the ratio of its debt to capitalization (as set forth in the credit agreement) to exceed 65 percent. At December 31, 2023, the company was in compliance with all covenants under its credit agreement.
Unsecured Senior Notes
Issuance of Senior Notes
In February 2023, the company issued $2.0 billion of unsecured senior notes for general corporate purposes, including debt repayment, share repurchases, and working capital, as follows:
•$1.0 billion of 4.70% senior notes due 2033 (the “2033 Notes”) and
•$1.0 billion of 4.95% senior notes due 2053 (the “2053 Notes”).
We refer to the 2033 Notes and the 2053 Notes, together, as the “notes.” Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. The notes are generally subject to redemption, in whole or in part, at the company’s discretion at any time, or from time to time, prior to maturity at a redemption price equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed or an applicable “make-whole” amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
Repayments of Senior Notes
In August 2023, the company repaid $1.05 billion of 3.25 percent unsecured senior notes upon maturity.
In March 2021, the company repaid $700 million of 3.50 percent unsecured notes upon maturity.
In March 2021, the company redeemed $1.5 billion of 2.55 percent unsecured notes due October 2022. The company recorded a pre-tax charge of $54 million principally related to the premium paid on the redemption, which was recorded in Other, net in the consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive income.
Debt Exchange
On September 2, 2021, the company completed an exchange offer to eligible holders of the outstanding notes of our direct wholly owned subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (“NGSC”), maturing through 2036. An aggregate principal amount of $422 million of the NGSC notes was exchanged for $422 million of unregistered Northrop Grumman Corporation notes (the “Unregistered Notes”) with the same interest rates and maturity dates as the NGSC notes exchanged.
On June 15, 2022, the company completed a registered exchange offer pursuant to which the company exchanged an aggregate principal amount of $414 million of the Unregistered Notes for $414 million of new notes registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Registered Notes”) with the same interest rates and maturity dates as the Unregistered Notes.
Because the debt instruments were not substantially different in either of the exchange offers, both exchanges were treated as debt modifications for accounting purposes with no gain or loss recognized.
Long-term debt consists of the following:
$ in millionsDecember 31
20232022
Fixed-rate notes and debentures, maturing inInterest rate
20233.25%$— $1,050 
20252.93%1,500 1,500 
2026
7.75% - 7.88%
527 527 
20273.20%750 750 
20283.25%2,000 2,000 
20304.40%750 750 
20317.75%466 466 
20334.70%1,000 — 
2040
5.05% - 5.15%
800 800 
20434.75%950 950 
20453.85%600 600 
20474.03%2,250 2,250 
20505.25%1,000 1,000 
20534.95%1,000 — 
OtherVarious332 293 
Debt issuance costs(69)(59)
Total long-term debt13,856 12,877 
Less: current portion(1)
70 1,072 
Long-term debt, net of current portion$13,786 $11,805 
(1) The current portion of long-term debt is recorded in Other current liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position.
The estimated fair value of long-term debt was $13.4 billion and $12.1 billion as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We calculated the fair value of long-term debt using Level 2 inputs, based on interest rates available for debt with terms and maturities similar to the company’s existing debt arrangements.
Indentures underlying long-term debt issued by the company or its subsidiaries contain various restrictions with respect to the issuer, including one or more restrictions relating to limitations on liens, sale-leaseback arrangements and funded debt of subsidiaries. The majority of these fixed rate notes and debentures are subject to redemption at the company’s discretion at any time prior to maturity in whole or in part at the principal amount plus any make-whole premium and accrued and unpaid interest. Interest on these fixed rate notes and debentures are payable semi-annually in arrears.
Total interest payments, net of interest received and capitalized, were $437 million, $474 million and $570 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The company capitalized interest expense of $95 million, $53 million and $17 million during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Maturities of long-term debt as of December 31, 2023, are as follows:
$ in millions
Year Ending December 31
2024$70 
20251,582 
2026530 
2027754 
20282,043 
Thereafter8,963 
Total principal payments13,942 
Unamortized premium on long-term debt, net of discount(17)
Debt issuance costs(69)
Total long-term debt$13,856