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 U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
