BUSINESS BRIEFING / MILITARY

Government auditors denied protests lodged by Northrop Grumman Corp. and Textron Inc., keeping the military contractors out of a competition to build lightweight tactical vehicles to replace the Humvee.

The Army and the Marine Corps have been looking for a vehicle that can withstand roadside bombs and explosives but is more agile on mountainous terrain and narrow roads than existing mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles being used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The services are expected to order 65,000 vehicles.