FTC Seeks Public Comment on Petition to Modify Northrop Grumman Final Order

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on a petition filed by Northrop Grumman Corporation requesting that the Commission reopen and set aside a final consent order involving Northrop Grumman’s 2018 acquisition of aerospace and defense contractor Orbital ATK.

The final consent order, issued in December 2018, resolves FTC allegations that Northrop Grumman’s acquisition of Orbital ATK was anticompetitive. The final consent order requires Northrop Grumman to supply solid rocket motors, or SRMs, to competitors on a non-discriminatory basis.

The final consent order also imposes information protection obligations requiring Northrop Grumman to separate the operation of its SRM business from the rest of the company’s operations with a firewall. The order also allows the Department of War to appoint a compliance officer to oversee Northrop Grumman’s compliance with the order and related reporting requirements.

The petition contends that the order is no longer necessary to preserve competition and keeping it in place is not in the public interest.

The public will have 30 days, until May 4, 2026, to submit comments on the petition to set aside the consent order. Instructions for filing comments appear on Regulations.gov. Once processed, they will be posted on Regulations.gov. After the comment period closes, the Commission will vote to determine how to resolve the petition.