1974, the company acquired a site at Faldingworth, near Market Rasen which had two indoor firing ranges for testing and proving of cannon (Oerlikon 20 mm cannon). The site also had the capability to store nuclear weapons such as Redbeard and WE.177. This site is currently used by BAE Systems. The company also made the Oerlikon 30 mm twin cannon (GCM). BMARC was a subsidiary of Hispano-Suiza (Suisse), S.A. in Geneva and then was owned from 1970 to 1987 by Oerlikon, the Swiss defence contractor. It was then sold to British Astra Holdings, which had a head office in Kent, in May 1988. In the 1990s, the company was investigated for alleged illegal dealings with Iraq. Jonathan Aitken was a non-executive director of the company from September 1988, and in a libel trial in March 1997, BMARC was accused of selling weapons to Iran. On 11 December 1995, an ITV World in Action programme covered the subject and the Scott Report. It was extensively (and exclusively) investigated by the Guardian newspaper, largely motivated by the potential to discredit (and later convict) Jonathan Aitken. Financial collapse On 4 February 1992, after owing £50 million, Astra went into receivership. In Britain, it also owned the pyrotechnics company Haley & Weller (who made grenades). After the financial collapse of Astra Holdings, in April 1992 BMARC was bought by British Aerospace, briefly becoming part of Royal Ordnance. The company closed the Grantham site later in 1992, and the site was sold in 1994. Royal Navy use Ships using the 20 mm weapons are the Type 22 frigate, the Type 42 destroyer, the , the , the , the , the , HMS Bristol, and and . Current use of the site The former site's offices are now home to the Springfield Business Park, with the rest of the factory part developed for housing. South Lincolnshire Enterprise Agency was based there. References External links Faldingworth site Statement to Commons by Michael Heseltine Jun 1995 Listen to a BBC documentary about BMARC/Astra. 20mm weapon on HMS Cumberland Video clips Dennis Kendall in 1945 1992 disestablishments in England Companies based in Grantham Defence companies of the United Kingdom Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom Firearm manufacturers of the United Kingdom Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1992 Science and technology in Lincolnshire Manufacturing companies established in 1937 British companies established in 1937 1937 establishments in England