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Heckler & Koch (Germany) |
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World ranking: outside the top 100 Heckler & Koch GmbH; P.O. Box 1329; 78722 Oberndorf, Germany BackgroundIn its own words, Heckler & Koch is 'the global leader for technologically advanced small arms.' It is a German company that was taken over by Royal Ordnance (now RO Defence, a subsidiary of BAE Systems) in 1991 but, in December 2002, was sold to Heckler & Koch Beteiligungs GmbH, a German registered company established for the purpose of its acquisition. The company has its headquarters in Oberndorf, Germany, where 630 of its 700 employees are based. Other offices are located in Sterling Virginia is the USA; Switzerland; and Nottingham in the UK. H&K in the UK Heckler & Koch (GB) NSAF Limited, PO Box 7151, What it makes Heckler & Koch produces pistols, rifles (including the G3), machine guns, sub-machine guns (including the MP5), grenade launchers and grenade machine guns. The 2002 Small Arms Survey states that it is one of the world's largest producers of small arms, with its weapons in use in 90 countries. Over seven million G3 rifles alone have been produced and are in service in 60 countries.3 Licensed Production Much of the manufacturing of Heckler & Koch weapons is carried out under licensed production agreements, either for the armed forces of the producing country or for export. Such agreements have been made with a number of EU countries and also Burma (now Myanmar), Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey and Thailand. Heckler & Koch have stated that the agreements with Burma and Iran have lapsed.4 Licensed production has two main advantages for the licensee company and its country. Firstly, in-country manufacture reduces the dependence on weapons imports, providing a cushion against arms embargoes. Secondly, it can provide export earnings, possibly including sales to countries and situations where it might be difficult or embarrassing for the country of the licensor to sell. This has obvious potential for undermining export controls. If licensed production agreements do not contain production and export limits they blatantly undermine export controls. If they do provide limits then, as one commentator has stated, 'they are being violated with apparent impunity'.5 References |
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[Published: September 2003] |
Campaign Against Arms Trade, 11 Goodwin St, Finsbury Park, London N4 3HQ
Tel: +44-(0)20 7281 0297 | Fax: +44-(0)20 7281 4369