Pentagon confident Lockheed radio award was fair

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Pentagon official on Friday said he was confident a $766 million contract award to Lockheed Martin Corp was handled fairly, openly and in accordance with the law, and he hoped the losing bidder, Boeing Co, would not protest the decision.

Dennis Bauman, joint program executive officer for the Joint Tactical Radio System, told Reuters in a telephone interview that it was Boeing's right to protest if it chose, but any protest would slow getting the new radios to troops.

"I hope it doesn't happen; I want to get on with the program," he said.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Gary Hill)