Editing Alliant Techsystems (section)

==History==
ATK was launched as an independent company in 1990 after [[Honeywell]] spun off its defense businesses to shareholders. The former Honeywell businesses had supplied defense products and systems to the U.S. and its allies for 50 years, including the first electronic autopilot for the B-17 aircraft's bombing missions during World War II.<ref>[http://www.atk.com/corporate-overview/history/ ATK Corporate History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212082937/http://www.atk.com/corporate-overview/history/ |date=February 12, 2014 }}</ref>

In 1995, ATK entered the aerospace market with the acquisition of the Hercules Aerospace Co., a division of [[Hercules Inc.]] Since then ATK has become a supplier of [[Aerospace manufacturer|aerospace]] and defense products to the U.S. government and its allies, and to their contractors.  It also carries on the manufacture and sale of the Hercules gunpowder lines.

In 2001, ATK acquired [[Thiokol]], renaming it ATK Launch Systems in 2006, though it was still known within the industry by its original name. Thiokol was the sole manufacturer of the reusable [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|Solid Rocket Motor]] used to launch the [[NASA]] [[Space Shuttle]], which is being adapted for NASA's [[Space Launch System]].

Also in 2001, ATK entered the sporting and law enforcement ammunition market with the acquisition of the ammunition businesses of Blount International.  This acquisition made ATK the nation's largest manufacturer of ammunition.

In 2009, ATK acquired Eagle Industries and in 2010 ATK acquired Blackhawk Industries Products Group Unlimited, LLC, diversifying into the security and law enforcement market.

On 29 April 2014, ATK announced that its board unanimously approved a plan to create two independent, public companies composed of ATK's current businesses and Orbital Sciences Corporation. ATK spun off its Sporting Group to ATK shareholders on a tax-free basis. The spinoff was immediately followed by an all-stock merger of ATK's Aerospace and Defense Groups with Orbital Sciences; Orbital shareholders received ATK common stock as consideration. The combined company was named Orbital ATK Inc.<ref name="Merger1">[http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/orbital-atk-space-venture-created-5-billion-merger-n93911 "Orbital ATK Space Venture Created in $5 Billion Merger"]. NBC News</ref> On October 28, 2014, ATK announced that it would be seeking approval of issuance of shares to Orbital stockholders on December 9.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 October 2014 |title=Rocket explosion unlikely to hurt ATK-Orbital merger - analyst |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/alliant-techsys-ma-orbital-sciences-idUSL4N0SO5XM20141029|newspaper= Reuters |access-date=11 November 2014 }}</ref>

ATK responded to news of the explosion of a rocket built by Orbital{{clarify|does it have a name|date=August 2020}} in an earnings call{{when|date=August 2020}}. ATK stated it would conduct a "thorough evaluation of any potential implications resulting from the incident, including current operating plans, long-term strategies, and the proposed transaction". ATK also said that it was taking a careful look at its Castor 30XL motor, which is used in the second stage of Orbital's Antares rocket. ATK further noted that the explosion occurred before ignition of the second stage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jayakumar |first=Amrita |date=3 November 2014 |title=ATK-Orbital merger is a wait-and-watch game |newspaper=New York Times |location=New York, New York USA }}</ref>

On November 17, 2014 ATK stated that its due-diligence assessment of its merger with Orbital Sciences undertaken in response to the failure of Orbital's Antares rocket found that the transaction remained in the best interest of its shareholders. Both firms rescheduled shareholder votes on the merger from December 9, 2014 to January 27, 2015.<ref name="DueD">{{cite news |last=de Selding |first=Peter B. |date=18 November 2014 |title=ATK, Orbital Sciences Postpone Merger Vote to Late January |url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/financial-report/42583atk-orbital-sciences-postpone-merger-vote-to-late-january |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141120032213/http://www.spacenews.com/article/financial-report/42583atk-orbital-sciences-postpone-merger-vote-to-late-january |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 20, 2014 |newspaper=Space News}}</ref>

The spinoff of the Sporting Group to create [[Vista Outdoor]] and the merger leading to the creation of [[Orbital ATK]] were completed on February 9, 2015; both companies began operations as separate entities on February 20, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://news.vistaoutdoor.com/2015-02-10-Vista-Outdoor-Successfully-Completes-Spin-Off-from-ATK-and-Begins-Trading-as-Independent-Company|title = Vista Outdoor Press Release|date = 10 February 2015|access-date = 20 February 2015|website = Vista Outdoor Successfully Completes Spin-Off from ATK and Begins Trading as Independent Company|archive-date = February 12, 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230212225026/https://news.vistaoutdoor.com/2015-02-10-Vista-Outdoor-Successfully-Completes-Spin-Off-from-ATK-and-Begins-Trading-as-Independent-Company|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/orbital-atk-marks-first-day-of-operations-following-completion-of-merger|title = Orbital ATK Press Release|date = 10 February 2015|access-date = 20 February 2015|website = Orbital ATK Marks First Day of Operations Following Completion of Merger|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150212082021/http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/orbital-atk-marks-first-day-of-operations-following-completion-of-merger|archive-date = February 12, 2015|df = mdy-all}}</ref> Orbital ATK was bought by [[Northrop Grumman]] in June 2018.<ref name="erwin18">{{cite news |last1=Erwin |first1=Sandra |title=Acquisition of Orbital ATK approved, company renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems |url=https://spacenews.com/acquisition-of-orbital-atk-approved-company-renamed-northrop-grumman-innovation-systems/ |publisher=SpaceNews |date=6 June 2018}}</ref>

In July 2022, Northrop CEO [[Kathy Warden]] was forced to deny reports that the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) would break up the merger.<ref name="erwin22"/>