EDO MBM, The Defence Manufacturers Association, and the Masons

Questions arise out of UK arms trade lobby group DMA disclosure of corporate directors.

The Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA) is a private company that acts as a lobby group for the UK arms industry. Along with The Society for British Aerospace (SBAC), the DMA is one of the two most powerful lobby groups for the UK arms industry and sits on the National Defence Industry Council (NDIC), a ‘restricted UK eyes only’ forum with Government defence ministers and military industry corporate CEOs. Companies must be members of one of the two groups in order to be allowed to attend NDIC meetings.

The DMA represents over 600 UK arms companies but only a select few actually run the DMA itself. These are closely involved for instance in the Gala dinners, hospitality and accommodation arrangements for thousands of arms dealers who will come to London in September for the DSEI arms fair.

According to public records two individuals and nineteen corporate bodies make up the board of directors of the DMA.

Some of the companies involved as directors appear a little out of place. For instance why is Toye Kenning And Spencer Limited, a director of the DMA, when all they seem to manufacture and sell is regalia and books for the Freemasons?

http://www.toyekenningandspencer.com/

Perhaps even more surprising is why EDO MBM Technology Ltd, a small ‘smart’ bomb maker based in Brighton, are one of just 19 corporate directors of this powerful lobby group when they have less than 150 employees.

Answers on a postcard please.

****

DMA

The Defence Manufacturers Association

DIRECTORS

Individuals

1. Major General Alan George Sharman, Director General

2. Mrs Elaine Anne Luck, Company Secretary

Corporate Body Executive Directors

1. Forensic Telecommunications Services Ltd, Corporate Body

http://www.forensicts.com/

2. Berwin Leighton Paisner Llp, Corporate Body

http://www.blplaw.com/

3. Smiths Detection Military, Corporate

http://trace.smithsdetection.com/Military/

4. Vt Group Plc, Corporate

http://www.vtplc.com/

5. General Dynamics United Kingdom Ltd, Corporate

http://www.generaldynamics.uk.com/

6. G3 Systems Ltd, Corporate

http://www.g3-systems.co.uk/

7. Cohort Plc, Corporate Body

http://www.cohortplc.com/

8. Toye Kenning And Spencer Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.toyekenningandspencer.com/

9. Mbda Uk Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.mbda.co.uk/

10. Bmt Sigma Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.bmtsigma.co.uk/

11. Amec Group Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.amec.com/

12. Aish Technologies Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.aishtechnologies.com/home/index.html

13. Raytheon Systems Ltd, Corporate Body

http://www.raytheon.co.uk/

14. DRS Tactical Systems Ltd, Corporate Body
www.drs.com

15. Babcock International Group Plc, Corporate Body

http://www.babcock.co.uk/

16. Agusta Westland, Corporate Body

http://www.agustawestland.com/

17. EDO MBM Technology Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.mbmtech.co.uk/

18. Eads Defence & Security Systems Ltd, Corporate Body

http://www.eads.net/800/en/eadsuk/What/EADS%20Defence%20and%20Security%20Systems.html

19. Advantage Business Group Limited, Corporate Body

http://www.advantage-business.co.uk/

*
Homepage: http://www.smashedo.org.uk

Comments

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11.06.2007 11:41

The Toye family are one of the oldest family business' in Britain, going back to the 17th century, and have since then been the suppliers of medals ribbons and official regalia to the armed forces, royalty, police, (as well as the Masons). So no big surprise that they are a director of the DMA. Toye have a second website which has no mention whatsoever of masonic stuff.

http://www.toye.com.

As for EDO MBM directorship, its worth remembering that MBM have been around since the 1940s and so are obviously well established at the heart of the industry despite their small size. Also since 2003 when they became EDO MBM, bought by the US EDO Corporation, they are closely connected to the US military industrial complex. EDO Corp boasts former CIA directors on its board, and has moved into the inteligence industry even moreso recently by buying up smaller US tech firms that supply the US Govt intel community.

Sir Robert Walmsley, Chair of EDO (UK), former chief of procurement at the MoD till 2003, is also a Director of the world's 4th largest arms company General Dynamics which is of course American.

Its clear that the DMA is a centre of networking for the big arms companies of the world through their UK subsidiaries so even though EDO MBM are small, EDO Corp now has 4000 staff, and Walmsley is a key figure in the global military corporate world. The UK has now become the worlds 2nd largest arms exporter after the US.

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EDO MBM, The Defence Manufacturers Association, and the Masons

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