Defense

WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin will acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne in a $4.4 billion deal that will allow the defense giant to beef up its technical know-how in the areas of space, propulsion and munitions, the companies announced Dec. 20. The acquisition signals Lockheed’s continued interest in the areas of hypersonic weapons and space — two major technology development priorities for the…

WASHINGTON — Hanwha, South Korea’s largest defense company, and the U.S. Army have signed an agreement to research and develop defense systems and technologies together, according to a statement from the Asian firm. The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was signed Dec. 10 by Hanwha Corporation and Hanwha Defense and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command…

WASHINGTON ― The Trump administration continued efforts to replace Pentagon advisers with loyalists as it tapped former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and others Monday to replace ousted members of the Defense Policy Board, an independent outside body. Weeks after former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright were removed in a sudden purge of longstanding experts, Gingrich…

WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy could stay on as the service’s top civilian for as long as one year under the Biden Administration, several people close to the president-elect’s transition team told Defense News. The move, if it happens, would likely make McCarthy the rare political official from the Trump team expected to be held over in the Biden administration. The decision…