Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.

Serco to buy Alion's naval systems business unit

Serco said it has agreed to acquire Alion Science & Technology's naval systems business unit, including its Canadian business, for $225 million.

SAIC unveils strategic partnership with investment team

Science Applications International Corp. said today it has entered into a strategic partnership with investment team Franklin Venture Partners in a bid to "broaden its access and exposure to emerging technologies developed by startup companies across the United States."

Booz Allen reports improved sales, profit

Booz Allen Hamilton said today sales in its most recent quarter reached $1.8 billion, up 9% from the same three-month period the year before.

TransDigm pays government back for overcharges

In the wake of a congressional hearing last week, defense contractor TransDigm has agreed to repay $16.1 million in excess profits, according to House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD).

SpaceX challenges Air Force launch services decision in Federal Claims Court

SpaceX has filed a lawsuit against the Air Force in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, protesting the service's October 2018 Launch Services Agreement competition.

Protest spotlight

The Government Accountability Office has sustained a protest filed by Obsidian Solutions, which argued it was unfairly excluded from a Marine Corps program.

ManTech adds LaMontagne to board

ManTech International said it has named Peter LaMontagne, the former chief executive of Novetta Solutions, to its board of directors.

The week ahead

Senior Pentagon officials are scheduled to appear around the Washington area this week, while several defense companies host earnings calls. Meanwhile, acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan is traveling to Hawaii, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan. Congress is out.

New report finds defense contractors struggling with cybersecurity requirements

Defense Department contractors are struggling to meet the standards for protecting sensitive DOD information on their networks, as most companies fail to use key controls like multifactor authentication and incident response tests, according to a new report from cybersecurity auditing firm Sera-Brynn.

Price gouging controversy puts spotlight on Pentagon IP reform

Senior Pentagon acquisition officials are writing new intellectual property policies amid heightened scrutiny from Capitol Hill, where concerns about price gouging have put a new spotlight on the issue.

Pentagon R&E office turns to new contracting strategy to advance key mission systems closer to fielding

The Pentagon's research and engineering directorate is leveraging broad agency announcements, typically used for basic and applied research, to get over the "contractual valley of death" and more quickly design, develop and advance joint warfighting systems toward the field in key mission areas, starting with long-range targeting and electronic warfare.