Rifle court case triggers finger-pointing at Thales
In development, the EF88 rifle for the ADF had issues with bolt unlocking after firing a 40mm grenade. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Thales Australia was taken to court over the allegation it used another’s intellectual property to overcome a bolt unlocking problem on the EF88 rifle.
Thales Australia has been found guilty of engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct, breaching a non-disclosure agreement, and breaching an obligation of confidence against Nioa and Austrian company Madritsch.
On 26 July, the Queensland Supreme Court delivered the judgement, which centres on the EF88 5.56mm bullpup rifle.
The dispute arose after Nioa and Madritsch partnered to provide Thales with a bolt unlocking solution for the EF88 rifle, which is known as the F90 in the Australian company’s catalogue.
Problems had arisen, as Australian soldiers firing a 40mm grenade from the underslung grenade launcher on the EF88 were then unable to fire
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![Battle management C2 systems are driving the next phase of integrated air defence]()
Battle management C2 systems are driving the next phase of integrated air defence
Battlefield and wider air defence C2 systems integrating a range of agnostic sensors have risen in prominence, from Turkey’s Aselsan developing Steel Dome to Northrop Grumman providing its own system to Poland and the US Army.
-
![Supacat awaits new MoD contracts for British Army Land Mobility Programme]()
Supacat awaits new MoD contracts for British Army Land Mobility Programme
A joint Supacat-KNDS Germany capability day showcased the platforms on offer for the British Army's upcoming vehicle programmes and highlighted UK-focused industrial commitments.
-
![Ireland targets improved anti-drone capability before mid-year ahead of EU presidency]()
Ireland targets improved anti-drone capability before mid-year ahead of EU presidency
With Ireland's EU presidency set to commence from July this year, the ramped-up efforts to procure a counter-uncrewed aerial system and radar capability under its Military Radar Programme are on track to meet targeted roll-out dates.
-
![How and why Europe is replenishing tube artillery in the drone warfare era]()
How and why Europe is replenishing tube artillery in the drone warfare era
Modern conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have exposed gaps in Western artillery, with European militaries increasingly looking to invest in longer-range systems with a focus on logistics and resilience.
-
![Raytheon unveils land version of the Next Generation Jammer]()
Raytheon unveils land version of the Next Generation Jammer
The ground-based NGJ is designed to work as an “invisible shield” to protect land structures and assets. Shephard spoke with Raytheon to find out more.
