Frank Carlucci, aide to four US presidents, dead at 87

Frank Carlucci, who held senior posts under four American presidents including defense secretary under Ronald Reagan, has died at the age of 87.

Carlucci died Sunday of complications from Parkinson's disease, according to family friend Susan Davis, who was quoted by the Washington Post.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis remembered Carlucci as a "transformative leader" at the Pentagon, where he was the boss under Reagan from 1987 to 1989.

"He changed the way the Department worked with Congress, and managed critical defense issues, such as procuring major weapon systems, and rebalancing military priorities and resources under dynamic and challenging geopolitical circumstances," Mattis said in a statement.

Carlucci also served as national security adviser and deputy CIA director over the course of a career during which he came to describe himself as a damage repair expert called on to fix problems in competing federal power centers.