WASHINGTON, April 2, 2026 — The Federal Trade Commission has opened a public consultation on a petition by Northrop Grumman asking the agency to reopen and set aside a consent order linked to its 2018 acquisition of Orbital ATK.
The consent order, issued in December 2018, settled FTC concerns that the merger could harm competition in markets related to solid rocket motors (SRMs) used in missile systems and other aerospace applications.
Under the order, Northrop Grumman was required to supply SRMs to competing contractors on a non-discriminatory basis. The decision also imposed strict safeguards to prevent the misuse of sensitive information, including the separation of the company’s SRM operations from the rest of its business through a firewall.
In addition, the order allowed the U.S. Department of Defense to appoint a compliance officer responsible for overseeing adherence to the supply obligations and related reporting requirements.
Northrop Grumman now argues that the remedies are no longer necessary to protect competition and that maintaining the order would not serve the public interest.
The FTC is inviting comments from stakeholders and the public for 30 days, with submissions due by May 4, 2026. After the consultation period closes, the Commission will vote on whether to grant or reject the petition to modify the order.
