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U.S. regulators approve Lockheed-Sikorsky deal

By Ryan Maass
A Sikorsky S 70 helicopter approaches the USS Kearsarge as it conducts flight operations off the coast of Florida. File photo by Joe Marino/Bill Cantrell/UPI
A Sikorsky S 70 helicopter approaches the USS Kearsarge as it conducts flight operations off the coast of Florida. File photo by Joe Marino/Bill Cantrell/UPI | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators found no violation of antitrust laws in Lockheed Martin's plans to buy Sikorsky Aircraft, according to a company SEC filing.

Lockheed Martin, a global security manufacturer, presented its plans to acquire Sikorsky in July. The waiting period for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's pre-notification program expired on Wednesday. The commission had no further questions.

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While the proposal has passed every test in the U.S., this is not the final hurdle for the $9 billion deal. The acquisition has regulatory approval from Japanese and Korean authorities, according to the company's SEC filing, but still requires approval from other countries.

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson called Sikorsky a "natural fit" for his company, saying the purchase would help bolster Lockheed's helicopter production and development.

Sikorsky Aircraft is an aviation manufacturer currently owned by United Technologies Corporation. It was founded in 1925, and employed close to 16,000 people in 2014.

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