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                                                                   Exhibit 24(a)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                        Directors and Certain Officers of
                                    TRW Inc.


         THE UNDERSIGNED Directors and Officers of TRW Inc. hereby appoint M. A.
Coyle, J. C. Diggs, W. A. Fullmer, K. A. Weigand and J. L. Manning, Jr., and
each of them, as attorneys for the undersigned, with full power of substitution
and resubstitution, for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned in
the capacity specified, to prepare or cause to be prepared, to execute and to
file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), an annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1996 relating to TRW Inc., such other periodic reports as may
be required pursuant to the Act, amendments and exhibits to any of the foregoing
and any and all other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or elsewhere pertaining to such reports, with full power and
authority to take such other action which in the judgment of such person may be
necessary or appropriate to effect the filing of such documents.

         EXECUTED the dates set forth below.





/s/ J.T. Gorman                         /s/ P.S. Hellman                          /s/ C.G. Miller
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------         ------------------------------
                                                                                
J. T. Gorman,                           P. S. Hellman,                            C. G. Miller,
Chairman of the Board,                  President,                                Executive Vice President
Chief Executive Officer                 Chief Operating Officer                   and Chief Financial Officer
and Director                            and Director                              February 4, 1997
February 4, 1997                        February 4, 1997


/s/ Thomas A. Connell                                                             /s/ M. Feldstein
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------         ------------------------------
T. A. Connell, Vice President           M. H. Armacost, Director                  M. Feldstein, Director
and Controller                          February  , 1997                          February 4, 1997
February 4, 1997


/s/ Robert M. Gates                     /s/ C.H. Hahn                             /s/ George H. Heilmeier
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------         ------------------------------
R. M. Gates, Director                   C. H. Hahn, Director                      G. H. Heilmeier, Director
February 4, 1997                        February 4, 1997                          February 4, 1997


/s/ Karen N. Horn                       /s/ E.B. Jones                            /s/ William S. Kiser
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------         ------------------------------
K. N. Horn, Director                    E. B. Jones, Director                     W. S. Kiser, Director
February  4, 1997                       February 4, 1997                          February 4, 1997


/s/ D.B. Lewis                          /s/ James T. Lynn                         /s/ L.M. Martin
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------         ------------------------------
D. B. Lewis, Director                   J. T. Lynn, Director                      L. M. Martin, Director
February  4, 1997                       February  4, 1997                         February 4, 1997


/s/ J.D. Ong                            /s/ Richard W. Pogue
- ---------------------------------       ---------------------------------       
J. D. Ong, Director                     R. W. Pogue, Director
February 4, 1997                        February  4, 1997