Sponsored by Control Solutions LLC.
http://www.controls.com/product-cat/systems/
——————————————————————-
02 Feb 17. U.S. firm Orbital sues Heckler & Koch over XM25 weapon. German gunmaker Heckler & Koch said U.S. aerospace and defence company Orbital ATK Inc had filed a suit in the United States seeking damages in excess of $27m. In the complaint, filed at the U.S. District court in the district of Minnesota, Orbital said it was seeking damages for breach of contract over the XM25 semi-automatic weapon system which Orbital and Heckler & Koch started developing more than 20 years ago.
“Heckler & Koch GmbH rejects all claims, based on the information we have so far,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
“Heckler & Koch GmbH did not receive the complaint formally from the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota so far,” the gunmaker also said in its brief statement.
A spokesman for Heckler & Koch declined to comment on the details of the claims.
Orbital said in the filing, seen by Reuters, that Heckler & Koch had failed to deliver twenty additional prototypes of the XM25 weapon systems, as contracted, and that its failure to do so meant the U.S. Army had raised the possibility of terminating its contract with Orbital.
“Even if the Prime Contract is not terminated, Orbital ATK has incurred and will incur additional costs as a direct result of the substantial delay caused by Heckler & Koch’s non-performance and the need to re-procure the twenty weapons from an alternate manufacturer,” it stated in the filing.
Orbital is also asking in the filing that Heckler & Koch transfer certain intellectual property to enable another contractor to carry out the work.
The filing said Heckler & Koch had queried whether the weapons, which target enemies protected by walls or hidden in hard-to-reach places, would violate international laws of war.
The filing also said that after receiving legal opinions, Heckler & Koch had said it would only supply the weapons if the U.S. government provided a special certification, which the government refused to do. Informal mediation failed, and Heckler & Koch refused to engage in formal mediation, the filing stated.(Source: Reuters)
02 Feb 17. Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and MBDA sign an agreement aimed at missile systems cooperation. On 2nd February 2017, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) and MBDA, the European guided missiles group, signed a strategic partnership agreement. This agreement opens the way for future cooperation between PGZ and MBDA in the area of missiles and missile systems. In addition, the agreement also envisages the transfer of modern missile technologies to companies within PGZ and integrating these companies into MBDA’s global supply chain.
The aim of the signed agreement is to enhance the mutual cooperation between PGZ and MBDA as well as the development of the PGZ Group’s industrial skills regarding missiles and missile systems. This applies to air defence as well as naval and air-launched missile systems.
The agreement provides a framework for the future cooperation between PGZ and MBDA regarding the missile programmes included in the Polish Armed Forces’ Technical Modernization Plan, especially the programmes related to a short range air defence system, codenamed “Narew”.
If the Polish Ministry of National Defence decides to select any of the missile or missile system solutions offered by MBDA, the agreement stipulates that MBDA will carry out a significant and mutually agreed transfer of technology to companies within the PGZ Group. In this event, MBDA has also declared its intention to transfer know-how to Poland and to look at the possibility of including Polish defence industry companies within MBDA’s global supply chain.
“This is a step in the direction of building PGZ’s competence in the area of missile technologies, understood broadly. Following a month-long negotiations process we have reached an agreement on