US proposes new legislation to combat counterfeit component problem

In the US, the Combating Military Counterfeiting Act was introduced in June this year and sent late last month to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It proposes increased penalties for people and businesses that sell or manufacture counterfeit components for weapons, aircraft and other military equipment. This includes doubling possible prison time to 20 years and attaching fines of up to $5 million for individuals and $15 million for companies. For repeat offenders the penalty rises to 30 years in prison and a $15 million fine for individuals, and $30 million for companies.

The proposed law also applies to offenders who mislabel parts as military grade.

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