Orbital ATK (formerly known as ATK or Alliant Techsystems) (United States) produces rocket propulsion systems for Trident II (D5) submarine launched ballistic missiles for the US and UK nuclear arsenals. Orbital ATK is also responsible for the solid propellant stages of the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) for the US and has a contract to produce components for the new “Ground Based Strategic Deterrent” (GBSD) nuclear missiles“. It is also involved in the nuclear weapons facilities Y-12 and Pantex which are refurbishing nuclear weapons for the US arsenals.
Company Profile
Orbital ATK, based in the US, was formed through the merger of Orbital Sciences and ATK’s aerospace and defence businesses in February 2015.[1] It supplies aerospace and military products to the US government, allied nations and prime contractors. The company has three operating groups: flight systems, defence systems and space systems. Main products are launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; satellites and associated components and services; composite aerospace structures; tactical missiles, subsystems and defence electronics; and precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition.[2]
The company reported revenues of US$ 4.5 billion (€ 4.3 billion) for the financial year ending 31 December 2016, resulting in an operating income of US$ 516.0 million (€ 489.7 million) and a net income of US$ 325.0 million (€ 308.4 million).[3]
Update!Orbital ATK was acquired by Northrop Grumman in June 2018.
Contact Information
| Website: | Twitter: | |
| www.orbitalatk.com | @OrbitalATK | www.facebook.com/OrbitalATK |
Corporate Headquarters
45101 Warp Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
+1.703.406.5000
Nuclear Weapons
In November 2009, ATK received a US$ 100 million (€ 67 million) contract from prime contractor Lockheed Martin to produce rocket propulsion systems for all three stages of the US Navy’s Trident II (D5) solid propellant, inertial guided missile system through 2013.[4] In early 2015, Orbital ATK announced orders for additional Trident II fleet ballistic missile rocket motors placed by Lockheed Martin.[5] Lockheed Martin Space Systems was awarded a US$ 146.3 million (€ 111 million) contract for new procurement of Trident II (D5) missile production, D5 Life Extension development and production, and D5 Deployed Systems Support in August 2014. The value of Orbital ATK’s subcontract is not known. Work is expected to be completed by November 2019.[6]
Orbital ATK is also responsible for refurbishing all three solid propellant stages of the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) under the plan to keep the missiles operational until at least 2030.[7] At the same time, Orbital ATK was awarded an US Air Force contract in May 2016 for the “multi-year USAF Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent program (GBSD), […] to explore enhanced propulsion capability through improvements and/or alternatives to current post-boost propulsion systems. […] Once development is completed for the new GBSD system, it will begin replacing the Minuteman III starting in the late 2020s”.[8]
In October 2013, ATK Launch Systems was awarded a US$ 49.4 million (€ 36.4 million) contract for research and development of the Medium Class Stage III motor that may be applicable to multiple future common strategic propulsion systems. This begins the development of a flight motor design that will be a direct replacement for the SR-73, which is the third stage motor on the Minuteman III ICBM. Work was expected to be completed by October 2016.[9] It is unknown if the work has been completed.
In November 2015, ATK Launch Systems was awarded a US$ 790.3 million (€ 737.1 million) contract for engineering support and programme management of the ICBM propulsion subsystem. Work was expected to be complete by November 2016.[10] It is unknown if the work has been completed.
In March 2017, ATK Launch Systems was awarded a US$ 48.2 million (€ 44.4 million) contract for refurbishment of missile motors, including the motors of the Trident I (C4). Work is expected to be completed in March 2022.[11]
Orbital ATK is a member of Consolidated Nuclear Services (CNS), which took over the management and operation of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee and the Pantex Plant in Texas under the same contract in 2014. CNS is a Bechtel -led joint venture including Lockheed Martin Services, ATK Launch Systems, SOC, and Booz Allen Hamilton[12] as a teaming subcontractor.[13] The US$ 446 million (€ 326.5 million) contract has a base-term of five years, with options for an additional five years. The contract includes design and construction of a Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex and an option for Savannah River Tritium Operations at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.[14]
At the Y-12 Complex, nuclear weapons are produced and refurbished, and at the Pantex Plant in Texas the life extension programme for the W76 warheads deployed on Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles is expected to continue through 2018.[15]
Investors
The following financial institutions made approximately US$ 8,528 million available to this producer from January 2014 through October 2017.
- Affiliated Managers Group (United States)
- Allianz (Germany)
- Allstate (United States)
- Alyeska Investment Group (United States)
- Amalgamated Bank of Chicago (United States)
- American International Group (AIG) (United States)
- Ameriprise Financial (United States)
- AQR Capital Management (United States)
- Arovid Associates (United States)
- Associated Banc-Corp (United States)
- Banco de Sabadell (Spain)
- BancPlus (United States)
- Bank Hapoalim (Israel)
- Bank of America (United States)
- Bank of New York Mellon (United States)
- Banner Bank (United States)
- BB&T (United States)
- BlackRock (United States)
- California First National Bancorp (United States)
- Carlyle Group (United States)
- Cascade Bancorp (United States)
- Central Pacific Financial Corporation (United States)
- Charles Schwab (United States)
- Citigroup (United States)
- Comerica (United States)
- Crédit Mutuel CIC Group (France)
- Denver Investments (United States)
- Dimensional Fund Advisors (United States)
- E.SUN Financial (Taiwan)
- Eastern Bank (United States)
- Eaton Vance (United States)
- Fidelity Investments (United States)
- Fifth Third Bancorp (United States)
- First Eagle Investment Management (United States)
- First Niagara Financial (United States)
- Fubon Group (Taiwan)
- Geode Capital Management (United States)
- Glenmede (United States)
- Goldman Sachs (United States)
- Guggenheim Capital (United States)
- Hartford Financial Services (United States)
- Hua Nan Financial (Taiwan)
- Invesco (United Kingdom)
- JPMorgan Chase (United States)
- Keycorp (United States)
- Land Bank of Taiwan (Taiwan)
- Legg Mason (United States)
- Liberty Mutual Insurance (United States)
- LSV Asset Management (United States)
- MassMutual Financial (United States)
- MetLife (United States)
- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (Japan)
- Morgan Stanley (United States)
- Nationwide Mutual Insurance (United States)
- New Jersey Department of the Treasury (United States)
- New York Life Insurance (United States)
- Northern Trust (United States)
- Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance (United States)
- Old Mutual (United Kingdom)
- Old Republic International (United States)
- People’s United Financial (United States)
- PNC Financial Services (United States)
- Principal Financial Group (United States)
- Prudential Financial (US) (United States)
- Raymond James Financial (United States)
- Regions Financial (United States)
- Royal Bank of Canada (Canada)
- Shenkman Capital Management (United States)
- State Bank of India (India)
- State Street (United States)
- Stephens Investment Management Group (United States)
- Stifel Financial (United States)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (Japan)
- SunTrust (United States)
- Synovus Financial Corporation (United States)
- The London Company of Virginia (United States)
- Thrivent Financial (United States)
- TIAA (United States)
- Travelers (United States)
- UBS (Switzerland)
- US Bancorp (United States)
- Vanguard (United States)
- Voya Financial (United States)
- Wells Fargo (United States)
- Western & Southern Financial (United States)
- Zeo Capital Advisors (United States)
Notes
[1] Orbital ATK, “History”, Website Orbital ATK (www.orbitalatk.com/about/history), viewed August 2017.
[2] Orbial ATK, “Company overview”, Website Orbital ATK (www.orbitalatk.com/about/company-overview/), viewed August 2017.
[3] Orbital ATK, “Annual Report 2016”, Orbital ATK.
[4] Military & Aerospace, “ATK wins $100 million for Trident II solid rocket propulsion systems”, Website Military & Aerospace, 12 November 2009 (www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2009/11/atk-wins-100-million-for-trident-ii-solid-rocket-propulsion-systems.html); ATK, “Annual Report 2013”, ATK, 22 May 2013; Orbital ATK, “Trident II”, Website Orbital ATK (www.orbitalatk.com/flight-systems/propulsion-systems/tridentII/), viewed August 2017.
[5] Orbital ATK, “OA – Q4 2015 Orbital ATK Inc Earnings Call – Edited Transcript”, Thomson Reuters, 28 May 2015.
[6] U.S. Department of Defense, “Daily contracts – Contract N00030-13-C-0100”, Website U.S. Department of Defense, 19 September 2014 (archive.defense.gov/Contracts/Contract.aspx?ContractID=5380).
[7] Orbital ATK, “Minuteman III”, Website Orbital ATK (www.orbitalatk.com/flight-systems/missile-defense-systems/minutemaniii-refurbishment/), viewed August 2017; Orbital ATK, “Annual report 2016”, Orbital ATK, May 2016.
[8] Orbital ATK, “Orbital ATK Secures U.S. Air Force Contract to Conduct Advanced ICBM Propulsion Research”, 15 March 2016.
[9] Host, P., “Air Force Awards Contracts For Future Medium Class Stage III ICBM Motor Development”, Defense Daily, 7 January 2014; Federal Business Opportunities, “Medium Class Stage III R&D – Solicitation Number: FA8219-13-R-7001”, Website FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=20cea32e0732eb38848b3ccba1170a82), viewed June 2016August 2017; Department of the Air Force, “Contract No. FA8219-14-C-0001 Alliant Launch Systems Inc.”, Department of the Air Force, 18 October 2013 (www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=6b9fcd57f54bfdd8a79f269bd559c93e).
[10] U.S. Department of Defense, “Daily contracts – Contract FA8214-16-C-0001”, Website U.S. Department of Defense, 5 November 2015 (www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/627910).
[11] U.S. Department of Defense, “Daily contracts – Contract HQ0147-17-C-0031”, Website U.S. Department of Defense, 29 March 2017 (www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1134313/).
[12] Research indicated that SOC provides security services only, while Booz Allen Hamilton is a broad consulting firm who work is not integral to maintain the nuclear arsenal.
[13] Bechtel National, “Team Will Manage and Operate Facilities Within Nuclear Security Enterprise”, Website Bechtel National, 8 January 2013 (www.bechtel.com/newsroom/releases/2013/01/bechtel-led-team-awarded-contract-y12-pantex/); Power Engineering, “Consolidated Nuclear Security to manage US Nuclear Facility Management”, Website Power Engineering, 7 March 2014 (www.power-eng.com/articles/2014/03/consolidated-nuclear-security-to-manage-us-nuclear-facility-management.html).
[14] Inside the Pentagon, “NNSA Awards $446 Million Contract To Manage Nuclear Plants”, Inside the Pentagon, 10 January 2013; National Nuclear Security Administration, “Solicitation, offer and award – contract no. NA0001942”, U.S. Department of Energy, 14 December 2011 (nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/04-14-inlinefiles/2014-03-25%20Basic%20Contract.pdf); Bechtel Group, “Annual Report 2015”, Bechtel Group, April 2015.
[15] National Nuclear Security Administration, “FY 2012 Congressional Budget Request”, Department of Energy, February 2011 (nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/inlinefiles/FY%202012%20NNSA%20Congressional%20Budget%20Submission_0.pdf); Kristensen, H.M., “The Nuclear Weapons Modernization Budget”, FAS Strategic Security Blog of the Federation of American Scientists, 17 February 2011 (blogs.fas.org/security/2011/02/nuclearbudget/);
National Nuclear Security Administration, “W76-1 Life Extension Program”, Website National Nuclear Security Administration, 15 November 2012 (nnsa.energy.gov/mediaroom/factsheets/w76-1lep); Arms Control Association, “US Nuclear Modernization Programs”, Website Arms Control Association, December 2015 (www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/USNuclearModernization).