HOW EDO MBM SUPPLIES THE ISRAELI MILITARY
INTRODUCTION
The sources below detail information specifically regarding the
supply of components to the Israeli Military made by EDO MBM Technology
in Brighton. EDO MBM have taken the line both in the media (when
they dare speak) and under oath in several court cases, (before
Magistrate, Crown, and High Court judges) that they do not supply
any equipment to
the Israeli military whatsoever. On the other hand EDO Corp. in
the US openly admits it supplies many components to Israel.
By cross referencing of documents in the public domain, with
witness statements of former employees of EDO MBM in court, the
truth is
evident that EDO MBM in Brighton do make parts used by the Israeli
military and continue to try and hide this fact.
In a letter 24th May 2004, David Jones, then Managing Director
of EDO MBM Technology Ltd wrote to the then chair of Brighton
and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign:
'I can confirm that to the best of our knowledge and belief,
none of our components, particularly weapons release systems,
are incorporated into systems which are exported by any third
country into Israel. Additionally, I can confirm that this company
has not supplied any defence products directly to Israel during
the ten years in which I
have been involved.'
however he did say that no manufacturer can ever know the end
user of his equipment.
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SECTION ONE. EDO MBM AND THE ISRAELI F16
1. Zero Retention Force Arming
Unit (or Retention Arming Unit - Zero retention)
An EDO Corp promotional document describes the component as the
'EDO MBM Zero Retention Force Arming Unit' and says it is supplied
to 'IAF' see.
EDO MBM appear to be the sole supplier for this armament component.
Under cross-examination at Hove Crown Court in December 2005,
David Jones, the then managing director of EDO MBM , admitted
that 'IAF' in
the above document refers to the Israeli Air Force. Faced with
the document Jones claimed that a sister company in the US, EDO
Artisan make the component, and that even though he is a director
of that
company too, this is only 'for tax reasons', and he has no control
over it. However EDO MBM say on their own website that they 'actively
manufacture' the equipment themselves see.
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2.VER-2 ('Vertical Ejection Release' Bomb
Rack)
The Israel Defence Sales Directory states 'The VER-2 has been
in Israeli Air Force operational use for 10 years as main F16
bomb rack'. There is no evidence to be found that the VER-2 is
used by any other Air Force other than the IAF. It utilizes the
EDO MBM Zero Retention Force Arming Unit as an essential part
see.
In Hove Crown Court David Jones admitted under cross-examination
that he had removed references to the 'VER-2' from the EDO MBM
website, after protests began in Brighton in 2004, but denied
the company had ever made the VER-2. Despite this reference can
still be found on the sitemap page of the website see.
We have the hidden page
Jones claimed in court that EDO MBM had simply 'licenced' the
design from it from Israeli Military Industries, and were only
'advertising the capability to make it.'
Considering that Jones admitted trying to hide the VER-2 reference
from the website and only admitted this fact once faced with the
hidden webpage (found in the cache of a search engine) it is entirely
possible that this witness evidence is unreliable.
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SECTION TWO: EDO MBM AND THE
HELFIRE MISSILE.
EDO MBM are developing bomb release units that can be used with
unmanned arial combat vehicles (UCAV) or armed drones. These drones
have been used by the Israeli military as extrajudicial assassination
weapons in Lebanon and the occupied territories.
EDO MBM sponsored a conference on UCAVS in 2004 attended by 'Raytheon',
the Israeli and US army and 'Raphaels', an Israeli arms manufacturer.
EDO MBM provide equipment that launches Hellfire missiles that
could be used by Israeli military helicopters.
In 2005 two peace activists in Brighton met with a former employee
of EDO MBM who had worked at its flexible circuits factory in
Portslade.
The ex-employee who wished to remain anonymous toldthem that he
had been informed by his manager, that the circuits he was working
on were parts for the Hellfire missile. He had begun working for
EDO MBM through an employment agency who had not told him he would
be working on military equipment. He left the job-despite being
offered a full-time position with twice the rate of pay-because
he did not wish to work for an arms company.
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