We had just finished typing this rant on seeming widespread fraud, corruption, and other wrongdoing in the defense industry, when this little gem came to our attention.  According to the linked article posted at DefenseReview.com, on February 17, 2010, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE, formerly known as the ATF) raided the Nashville, Tennessee headquarters of Sabre Defence Industries.

The article reports that the BATFE “has been investigating claims that Sabre Defence employees have been selling guns illegally.”  According to this article, “The company said it had learned that some of its employees involved in inventory control ‘may have obtained and re-sold some items without appropriate licenses.’  The company did not say which firearms were involved.”

In July, 2008, Sabre Defence was awarded an ID/IQ contract for a minimum of 4,952 M16A3 and 702 M16A4 rifles, to be provided to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps., and to foreign military customers.  Sabre Defense also manufactures the Browning M2 “Ma Deuce” .50 caliber machine guns and barrels, as well as XR15 rifles.  So if there has been a bit of “inventory shrinkage” associated with some unofficial product sales, that is very likely to be serious business indeed.  Not to mention some hefty prison time.