Lockheed’s Exclusive Concerns: L3Harris-Aerojet Deal

By Valerie Insinna

PARIS (Reuters) – Lockheed Martin has raised concerns with the U.S. Defense Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about L3Harris’s acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne, Lockheed’s chief operating officer said on Tuesday.

Frank St John told Reuters that Lockheed, Aerojet’s biggest customer, wanted L3Harris to ensure access to rocket motors, fair pricing and IP protections, adding it had received “little response” from L3Harris over its concerns.

“To date, we’ve been unable to gain a commitment from L3Harris for those provisions as a merchant supplier,” St John said in an interview at the Paris Airshow.

“This is really concerning to us because they are going to be vital to meeting the increasing demand that we’re seeing on multiple weapons systems,” such as the Javelin missile launcher and Patriot air defense system.

If L3Harris continues to be unresponsive, Lockheed wants the Defense Department or FTC to put in place a mechanism to guarantee access to technology, St John said.

L3Harris, Aerojet Rocketdyne, the FTC and Defense Department did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

L3Harris said in December it would buy Aerojet for $4.7 billion in cash as it looks to tap into rising demand for missiles amid the Ukraine conflict.

Lockheed had previously attempted to buy Aerojet in a $4.4 billion deal, but walked away from the acquisition in February 2022 after the FTC sued to block the deal, citing concerns that Lockheed could hinder competitors’ fair access to Aerojet products.

RTX executives, who opposed Lockheed’s failed bid for Aerojet, have signalled they would not do the same in L3Harris’ case, with RTX CEO Greg Hayes saying that L3Harris isn’t a competitor in the missile business in an interview with defense trade publication Defense One.

RTX Chief Operating Officer Chris Calio told Reuters in a Monday interview that “any transaction that can bring investment, capability and capacity would be helpful. I don’t think status quo is an option.”

(Reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by Mark Potter)

Lockheed Martin Raises Concerns Over L3Harris’s Acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne

Lockheed Martin has raised concerns with the U.S. Defense Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about L3Harris’s acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne, according to Lockheed’s chief operating officer, Frank St John. As Aerojet’s biggest customer, Lockheed wants L3Harris to ensure access to rocket motors, fair pricing, and IP protections. However, they have received little response from L3Harris regarding these concerns. St John emphasized the importance of these provisions in meeting the increasing demand for multiple weapons systems, such as the Javelin missile launcher and Patriot air defense system. If L3Harris remains unresponsive, Lockheed is urging the Defense Department or FTC to establish a mechanism to guarantee access to technology.

L3Harris, Aerojet Rocketdyne, the FTC, and Defense Department have not yet responded to requests for comment. L3Harris announced in December its plan to acquire Aerojet for $4.7 billion in cash, aiming to capitalize on the growing demand for missiles amid the Ukraine conflict. Lockheed had previously attempted to acquire Aerojet in a $4.4 billion deal but abandoned the acquisition due to concerns raised by the FTC. RTX executives, who opposed Lockheed’s failed bid, have indicated that they will not oppose L3Harris’s acquisition. RTX CEO Greg Hayes stated that L3Harris is not a competitor in the missile business. RTX Chief Operating Officer Chris Calio expressed support for any transaction that brings investment, capability, and capacity.

(Reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by Mark Potter)

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