Taking its cue from the Pentagon, these people say, the Federal Trade Commission today is expected to allow a 30-day deadline to lapse again without giving the green light for creation of the venture, the paper reported.
Boeing and Lockheed said last May that they planned to combine their rocket businesses in an effort to stem their losses and save taxpayers as much as $150 million a year in expenses of supporting two separate satellite launching programs.
The companies say they remain committed to the concept, and many industry and military officials believe that the deal is likely to win government approval eventually. Boeing and Lockheed said they are working with the government to answer questions, but declined to elaborate, the paper said.
A Pentagon spokeswoman said it was "premature" to comment on the rocket proposal. The FTC does not comment on its reviews.
The anticipated decision by the commission underscores that national security, cost savings and industrial-base issues, rather than traditional antitrust considerations, will likely determine the outcome, the paper said.
Executives and lawyers for each company spent the weekend considering whether to file a revised submission or push ahead with answering questions the commission is expected to pose about the existing document, the Journal reported.
The companies last month pulled and filed revised documents with the commission as a way to gain more time and pre-empt regulators from signalling their concerns. It was not clear whether the companies intend to use that option again.