General Electric's Aircraft Engines division and two subcontractors have paid the US government 11.5 million dollars to settle a lawsuit over defective military aircraft engine blades, the Justice Department said Friday.
The two subcontractors were Howmet Corp., a subsidiary of Alcoa, and Precision Castparts Corp., which manufactured castings for the airplane and helicopter engine blades that GE then finished at its Madisonville, Kentucky facility.
"This case demonstrates the federal government's commitment to ensuring that contractors meet the highest quality and safety standards when selling aircraft parts and equipment to the Defense Department," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Schiffer.
The suit was filed in Kentucky by several Madisonville-based GE employees under the False Claims Act, which allows private citizens — or "relators" — to sue on the government's behalf to recover federal funds obtained through false or fraudulent claims, the Justice Department said.
The relators will be paid 2.35 million dollars under the claim, according to the Justice Department.
