Honeywell is a US technology company headquartered in North Carolina with four business segments: Aerospace Technologies—covering its defence products and services – Building Automation, Energy and Sustainability Solutions, and Industrial Automation. Honeywell products include systems for combat aircraft, attack helicopters and the Reaper drone.
Honeywell’s 2024 full-year revenues for its Aerospace Technologies wing totalled US$ 15.4 billion, US$ 6 billion of which were for defence and space contracts. US exports and non-U.S. manufactured products represented 14% of Honeywell’s total sales in 2024, while non-U.S. manufactured products and services, mainly in Europe and Asia, were 43% of its total 2024 sales. Honeywell appears to be seeking to expand services in Europe in light of increased defence spending since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. In 2024, it signed an MOU with Rheinmetall to work together on technology projects.
Honeywell’s UK subsidiaries include: Honeywell Aerospace UK, Honeywell Control Systems Limited, Honeywell International UK Limited, Honeywell UK Limited, KAC Alarm Company Limited, Novar ED&S Limited, Novar Systems Limited, UOP Limited and UOP Services Limited.
Intelligence platforms
Honeywell has received a contract under the US military research agency DARPA’s Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) programme launched in 2013 to develop military electronic components that can be destroyed remotely; Honeywell worked on the sensor part of the programme.
Aircraft support platforms and components
Honeywell has provided aircraft components to support production of aircraft in a range of countries including India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Germany and Turkey. In 2024, media reporting on the production of the first T-625 GÖKBEY Light Utility Helicopters produced by Turkish defence company TAI noted that Honeywell provided the vehicles’ engines in a joint venture with Rolls Royce.
In 2016, it was reported that Honeywell had provided TPE331-12B turboprop engines to support the production of Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40’s by a publicly owned Indian arms development company.
In 2020, the government of Taiwan requested four “Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment” containing Honeywell engine components – the US government approved the export. That year, Honeywell Aerospace and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. agreed to provide in-service support of the T-55 engine should the government of Germany select the H-47 Chinook for its Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) heavy-lift helicopter requirement.
In 2022, Honeywell was reported to have signed an MOU with an Indonesian state-owned company to modernise the Indonesian Air Force’s C-130 transport aircraft.
Controversies and political influence
Honeywell is a major political donor in the US. According to data from the US Federal Electoral Commission, in 2023 Honeywell was among the top ten corporate donors to political action committees. Honeywell made around US$ 1.4 million in political contributions during the first nine months of 2023 in nearly equal proportions to Republican and Democratic candidates.
Honeywell has attracted criticism for some of its defence business abroad.
In 2021, Honeywell International reportedly agreed to a financial settlement to settle allegations it violated US export control regulations by sending technical defence drawings to China.
Honeywell components had been identified in Russian weapons systems reportedly recovered in Ukraine, according to a 2024 report by the KSE Institute and the Yermak-McFaul International Working Group on Russian Sanctions. In response, Honeywell stated that it ceased operations in Russia and Belarus in 2022 and had not provided any equipment, parts, or products to any company in Russia since winding down operations.
Honeywell-made missile components have been reportedly found in Gaza. Al Jazeera identified an inertial measurement unit, used to assist precision targeting, in fragments of an Israeli missile recovered in Gaza in 2024. The report also referenced a similar fragment bearing the same identification marks recovered in 2014. Honeywell did not respond to Al Jazeera or to the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, which also contacted the company.
