AEROSPACE & DEFENSE

Justice Dept. Joins Case Against Hughes Aircraft: The Justice Department has joined a civil fraud case brought by two Hughes Aircraft whistle-blowers, who allege that the firm’s microelectronic circuit division in Newport Beach falsified tests on electronic devices known as hybrid circuits. The case was unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Hughes was found guilty of related criminal charges earlier this year and ordered to pay a $3.5-million fine. The civil case, which was filed in 1990, seeks more than $30 million in damages. The circuits allegedly tested improperly were used on a number of defense systems, including the F-14, F-15, F-16 and F-18 jet fighters.