Injunction Prohibits Air Force Purchases Violating Russia Sanctions

US Rocket Company Sues Over Plan to Buy Russian-Made Engines

While the Treasury Department is all over private companies on even the appearance of a sanctions violation, a private company has actually had to file suit in Federal Claims Court to try to force the Pentagon to comply with those same sanctions.

The court issued a temporary injunction against the Air Force preventing them from buying rocket engines from NPO Energomash, a Russian company, citing the expanded sanctions against Russia.

The engines were to be purchased by the Air Force and “United Launch Alliance,” a joint venture of major military contractors Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as part of the program to launch military satellites into orbit.

The lawsuit was brought by SpaceX, a domestic rocket-maker who wants the courts to reverse the booster contract to United Launch Alliance and to open up the program to commercial competition.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.