By Associated Press
Decatur, AL – A joint venture between the nation's two biggest defense firms is to bring 200 additional jobs to Decatur. The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday announced the approval of the United Launch Alliance. The alliance is a business partnership program between Lockheed Martin Corporation and The Boeing Company. Boeing currently produces the Delta Four and Delta Two rockets at its Decatur plant. Under the new alliance, Lockheed Martin will move its Atlas Five rocket production from Colorado to Boeing's Decatur plant, resulting in the addition of about 200 jobs at the plant. Both the Lockheed Martin Atlas Five and the Boeing Delta Four are part of the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Program.