Boeing says it’s a 'buyer' after Northrop Grumman acquisition of Orbital ATK
Boeing executive Leanne Caret said Wednesday the defense company is a "buyer," looking to make acquisitions.

Her comments came two days after Northrop Grumman announced plans to buy missile and rocket maker Orbital ATK for $7.8 billion in cash.

"We are continuing to look at other ways to increase our top line through mergers and acquisitions and we have a continued pipeline we're assessing," said Caret, CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security.

She told CNBC she is "very focused" on growth.

"That includes looking organically on where we are going to invest," Caret said on "Squawk Box."

When asked whether Boeing is in any acquisition talks, Caret dodged the question, saying "we'll stay away from that."

Northrop's acquisition of Orbital would create a fourth business sector at the Boeing competitor, but Northrop has not specified what that would be. The company expects to close the deal in the first half of next year. Orbital has billion-dollar contracts with NASA and the Army, as well as contracts with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

Orbital is in the final stages of testing the solid rockets boosters the company is building for NASA's space launch system. It said the two solid rocket boosters for the heavy launch SLS platform will be on time for NASA's first planned flight in 2019. NASA is building SLS to take crew and cargo beyond Earth's orbit, with Mars as an eventual destination.