The drawn-out reviews of the proposed United Launch Alliance between Boeing and Lockheed Martin may be at an end. The Wall Street Journal, which quotes industry and government officials as saying the proposed merger will save enough money that Pentagon acquisition guru Ken Krieg plans to sign off on the deal. According to the Dow Jones Newswires, there is still at least one disgruntled voice, that of Northrop Grumman. Northrop officials fear the ULA could spill over into other space areas than launch services and could pose a problem since Lockheed and Boeing also build satellites. Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Tracy O’Grady-Walsh tells us that the deal is still “pre-decisional” and that nothing has been finalized. Anyway, the Federal Trade Commission has the last word.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.