The plan to merge the two launch services of Lockheed Martin and Boeing may have hit a snag. Although the Air Force initially signaled its approval, expecting to reap savings in launching national security payloads, service officials have joined with the Federal Trade Commission in seeking specifics on anticipated savings. When the companies paired up to present the United Launch Alliance venture in May, they predicted savings of up to $150 million a year. Now regulators conducting an atitrust investigation want to see how they arrived at the number.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.