Instalaza
Encyclopedia
Instalaza SA is a Spanish
firm that designs, develops and manufactures equipment and other military material for infantry
. The company, founded in 1943, is headquartered in Madrid
and its production plant is in Zaragoza
, Aragon
. The company became famous for the production of highly accurate rocket launchers.
Instalaza's professional experience is widely noted as a supplier of both the Spanish armed forces and countries around the world. Instalaza has had Pedro Morenés Eulate, Secretary of State for Defence between 1996 and 2000, Secretary of State Security from 2000 to 2002 and Secretary of State for Science and Technology between 2002 and 2004, as representative and consultant.
As of 2007, Instalaza SA had 140 employees, a covered plant area of 18000 square meters, capital worth over five million Euros, and a revenue of 15 million Euros.
The company experienced a crisis in 2008 after the ban on cluster bombs enacted by the Convention on Cluster Munitions
. In January 2009, Instalaza still had the MAT-120 cluster bomb
in its online catalog. Having been outlawed by the Convention on Cluster Munitions
, the Government ordered the shutdown of the weapon's production in line with its obligations under international law. After a public outcry highlighted by the media, Instalaza ended production of the MAT-120. However a note on the Instalaza website states that the weapon remains in the catalog as a mark of their technological prowess and states that the weapon is in compliance with Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. According to the manufacturer, the weapons produces 0.0% 'hazardous duds' by ensuring that in case the munition was not functioning upon impact, it would attempt to self-destruct in 20 seconds. If this was not possible, self-deactivation would occur after 10 minutes.. Critics argue that studies based on the Israeli-made
M-85, a different type of cluster munition, have indicated that items of unexploded ordnance
, whether or not they are armed, remain a serious hazard to civilian populations. However, this type of hazard does not apply to the MAT-120, as if in the rare instance the self-destruction mechanism fails, in approximately 15 minutes after impact the electrical charge in the capacitor bleeds out, therefore rendering the submunition's electronic fuse system inoperative, making the dud submunition totally inert, unless the capacitor is deliberately recharged from an outside source. Amended Protocol II relates to mines, booby traps and other devices and is not relevant to the legal status of cluster munitions. Instalaza may not sell any patents related to the bomb. Subsequently, the company managed to reorient its production and market new technology. As a result, Instalaza SA continues to produce military equipment for several countries around the world.
On 15 April, 2011, Human Rights Watch
and the New York Times documented use of MAT-120
cluster mortar rounds date-stamped 2007 in Misrata, Libya
during sustained use of explosive weapons
in populated areas by Gaddafi forces.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
firm that designs, develops and manufactures equipment and other military material for infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. The company, founded in 1943, is headquartered in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and its production plant is in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
. The company became famous for the production of highly accurate rocket launchers.
Instalaza's professional experience is widely noted as a supplier of both the Spanish armed forces and countries around the world. Instalaza has had Pedro Morenés Eulate, Secretary of State for Defence between 1996 and 2000, Secretary of State Security from 2000 to 2002 and Secretary of State for Science and Technology between 2002 and 2004, as representative and consultant.
As of 2007, Instalaza SA had 140 employees, a covered plant area of 18000 square meters, capital worth over five million Euros, and a revenue of 15 million Euros.
The company experienced a crisis in 2008 after the ban on cluster bombs enacted by the Convention on Cluster Munitions
Convention on Cluster Munitions
The Convention on Cluster Munitions is an international treaty that prohibits the use, transfer and stockpile of cluster bombs, a type of explosive weapon which scatters submunitions over an area. The convention was adopted on 2008 in Dublin, and was opened for signature on 2008 in Oslo...
. In January 2009, Instalaza still had the MAT-120 cluster bomb
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
in its online catalog. Having been outlawed by the Convention on Cluster Munitions
Convention on Cluster Munitions
The Convention on Cluster Munitions is an international treaty that prohibits the use, transfer and stockpile of cluster bombs, a type of explosive weapon which scatters submunitions over an area. The convention was adopted on 2008 in Dublin, and was opened for signature on 2008 in Oslo...
, the Government ordered the shutdown of the weapon's production in line with its obligations under international law. After a public outcry highlighted by the media, Instalaza ended production of the MAT-120. However a note on the Instalaza website states that the weapon remains in the catalog as a mark of their technological prowess and states that the weapon is in compliance with Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. According to the manufacturer, the weapons produces 0.0% 'hazardous duds' by ensuring that in case the munition was not functioning upon impact, it would attempt to self-destruct in 20 seconds. If this was not possible, self-deactivation would occur after 10 minutes.. Critics argue that studies based on the Israeli-made
Israel Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
M-85, a different type of cluster munition, have indicated that items of unexploded ordnance
Unexploded ordnance
Unexploded ordnance are explosive weapons that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of...
, whether or not they are armed, remain a serious hazard to civilian populations. However, this type of hazard does not apply to the MAT-120, as if in the rare instance the self-destruction mechanism fails, in approximately 15 minutes after impact the electrical charge in the capacitor bleeds out, therefore rendering the submunition's electronic fuse system inoperative, making the dud submunition totally inert, unless the capacitor is deliberately recharged from an outside source. Amended Protocol II relates to mines, booby traps and other devices and is not relevant to the legal status of cluster munitions. Instalaza may not sell any patents related to the bomb. Subsequently, the company managed to reorient its production and market new technology. As a result, Instalaza SA continues to produce military equipment for several countries around the world.
On 15 April, 2011, Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
and the New York Times documented use of MAT-120
MAT-120
The MAT-120 cargo bomb is a Spanish produced cluster munition, fired from a 120mm calibre mortar produced by Instalaza SA. The main body of the round holds dual-purpose anti-tank/anti-personnel submunitions...
cluster mortar rounds date-stamped 2007 in Misrata, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
during sustained use of explosive weapons
Explosive weapons
An explosive weapon generally uses high explosive to project blast and/or fragmentation from a point of detonation.Explosive weapons may be subdivided by their method of manufacture into explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices ....
in populated areas by Gaddafi forces.
Products
- C90-CR (M3)C90-CR (M3)The Instalaza C90 is a 90 mm disposable, shoulder-fired and one-man operated grenade launcher which can be fitted with a VN38-C night vision device for full night combat capability...
- Alcotán-100
- Alhambra hand grenade
- VN-series night vision scopes for rifles and antitank rocket launchers
- MAT-120MAT-120The MAT-120 cargo bomb is a Spanish produced cluster munition, fired from a 120mm calibre mortar produced by Instalaza SA. The main body of the round holds dual-purpose anti-tank/anti-personnel submunitions...
cargo mortar