
US-based Honeywell International has agreed to pay USD13 million to settle allegations that it illegally sent technical defence drawings to China, which is barred from receiving such sensitive information, according to the US State Department.

Honeywell is based in the US state of North Carolina. (Getty Images)
The exported material âcontained engineering prints showing dimensions, geometries, and layouts for manufacturing castings and finished parts for multiple aircraft, gas turbine engines, and military electronicsâ, the department said on 3 May. The drawings, whose transfer âharmed US national securityâ, showed engine parts for the F-22 and F-35 fighters, the B-1B bomber, and the CTS800 helicopter engine.
Honeywell was also accused of sending such drawings to Canada, Ireland, Mexico, and Taiwan without obtaining required American government approval.
The alleged violations, which took place from 2011 to 2015 and in 2018, occurred while the industrial conglomerateâs Aerospace business was asking parts suppliers for price quotes, the department said. The department alleged that Honeywell violated the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
In a statement, Honeywell insisted that its âdesigns were inadvertently shared during normal business discussionsâ. While the technical information âwas assessed as having an impact on national securityâ, it is âcommercially available throughout the worldâ, Honeywell asserted. âNo detailed manufacturing or engineering expertise was sharedâ.
The department credited Honeywell with voluntarily reporting the alleged violations, co-operating with the departmentâs review of the matter, and improving its export control compliance programme. âFor these reasons, the department has determined that it is not appropriate to administratively debar Honeywell at this timeâ from defence export activity, the department said.
Part of the penalty â USD5 million â has been suspended on the condition that Honeywell will use the funds to further enhance its compliance programme.
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