Boeing said yesterday that it was being investigated amid allegations that it secured a major US government rocket contract by illicitly obtaining and using documents from rival Lockheed Martin.
The Wall Street Journal had said the Justice Department - working in cooperation with a Pentagon criminal investigation office - was running criminal and civil investigations into the matter.
The US Air Force, meanwhile, was conducting an administrative inquiry to consider whether to suspend Boeing from some military work, the paper said, citing inside sources.
Investigations were focused on whether Boeing used Lockheed-owned documents to win a contract to become the major rocket maker for launching spy, communications and other satellites. Boeing won the contract in 1999.
