FTC lawsuit cripples Lockheed bid for Aerojet
Aerojet Rocketdyne is involved in multiple DoD programmes such as the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system (pictured). (Photo: Aerojet Rocketdyne)
Lockheed Martin has officially withdrawn its bid to buy missile propulsion systems specialist Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings.
Lockheed Martin on 14 February admitted defeat in its attempted $4.4 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings.
‘The decision to terminate the agreement follows the US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) lawsuit filed late last month seeking a preliminary injunction to block the acquisition,’ Lockheed Martin announced.
‘Our planned acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne would have benefitted the entire industry through greater efficiency, speed, and significant cost reductions for the US government,’ said Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO James Taiclet. ‘However, we determined that in light of the FTC’s actions, terminating the transaction is in the best interest of our stakeholders.’
Northrop Grumman is the only rival to Aerojet in meeting DoD requirements to supply solid-fuel rocket motors for missile systems, hypersonic cruise missiles and supersonic combustion ramjets.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)]()
Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)
As militaries face an overwhelming flow of data, the challenge is shifting from collection to delivering fast, actionable insights that drive decision-making. Advances in AI and data integration are helping armed forces move beyond siloed systems to generate real-time intelligence across domains and allies.
-
![Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms]()
Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms
In a partnership with Emesent, Teledyne FLIR will equip its autonomous air, ground and detection systems with the Hovermap LiDAR payload in a move that highlights a broader market shift towards modular architectures, shared payloads and interoperability across platforms.
-
![US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors]()
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
![US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production]()
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
