From Lockheed Martin's Cahill on Weapons Demand, Aerojet Deal · · BloombergTelevision
“Of course we're disappointed the Aerojet deal fell through — we thought there were some great synergies there and some benefits for the United States government and for our international partners.”
On , Timothy Cahill, President of Missiles & Fire Control at Lockheed Martin, spoke about mergers & acquisitions during Lockheed Martin's Cahill on Weapons Demand, Aerojet Deal on BloombergTelevision.
In February 2022, Timothy Cahill, then Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and Strategy at Lockheed Martin, spoke at the Singapore Airshow about weapons demand and the company's partnerships. He stated that while events like the tensions in Ukraine draw attention to defense needs, a longer-term trend of various entities threatening security drives the broader market. Cahill noted demand in the Asia region for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare helicopters, combat aircraft like the F-16 and F-35, and air defense systems, as well as a push to connect systems and maximize heritage platforms. Cahill expressed disappointment that Lockheed Martin's proposed acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne fell through, saying the company saw synergies and benefits for the U.S. government and international partners. He emphasized that partnerships do not always require mergers, citing collaborations with MHI in Japan, helicopter production in Japan and South Korea, and work with the Australian government and in India. Cahill also discussed a partnership with Airbus for a strategic tanker to compete for a U.S. Air Force contract, describing it as an opportunity to combine Lockheed's airlift experience with a proven Airbus system. He described hypersonic technology as coming to the forefront, with nations fielding or developing such systems, and said that while virtual communication has become a norm, human contact remains necessary for engaging with partners and customers.