LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Abstract]

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 25: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES

From time to time, as a normal incident of the nature and kind of businesses in which we are or were engaged, various claims or charges are asserted and litigation or arbitration is commenced by or against us arising from or related to matters, including but not limited to: product liability; personal injury; patents, trademarks, trade secrets or other intellectual property; labor and employee disputes; commercial or contractual disputes; strategic acquisitions or divestitures; the prior sale or use of former products allegedly containing asbestos or other restricted materials; breach of warranty; or environmental matters. Claimed amounts against us may be substantial, but may not bear any reasonable relationship to the merits of the claim or the extent of any real risk of court or arbitral awards. We record accruals for losses related to those matters against us that we consider to be probable and that can be reasonably estimated. Gain contingencies, if any, are recognized when they are realized and legal costs generally are expensed when incurred. At December 31, 2021, our accrual for the potential resolution of lawsuits, claims or proceedings that we consider probable of being decided unfavorably to us was not material. Although it is not feasible to predict the outcome of these matters with certainty, it is reasonably possible that some lawsuits, claims or proceedings may be disposed of or decided unfavorably to us and in excess of the amounts currently accrued. Based on available information, in the opinion of management, settlements, arbitration awards and final judgments, if any, that are considered probable of being rendered against us in litigation or arbitration in existence at December 31, 2021 are reserved against or would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or equity.

Tax Audits

Our tax filings are subject to audit by taxing authorities in jurisdictions where we conduct or conducted business. These audits may result in assessments of additional taxes that are subsequently resolved with the authorities or ultimately through legal proceedings. We believe we have adequately accrued for any ultimate amounts that are likely to result from these audits; however, final assessments, if any, could be different from the amounts recorded in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Additional information regarding audits and examinations by taxing authorities of our tax filings is set forth in Note 22: Income Taxes in these Notes.

International

 As an international company, we are, from time to time, the subject of investigations relating to our international operations, including under U.S. export control laws (such as ITAR), the FCPA and other similar U.S. and international laws.

In September 2019, we reached an administrative settlement with the Department of State to resolve alleged U.S. export control regulation violations. Under the terms of the settlement we have committed to strengthen our trade compliance program under the supervision of a special compliance officer and will pay a civil penalty of $13 million over three years (with $6.5 million suspended on the condition of use for qualified remedial compliance measures). The settlement did not result in any debarment or limitation on export licensing.

Environmental Matters

We are subject to numerous U.S. Federal, state, local and international environmental laws and regulatory requirements and are involved from time to time in investigations or litigation of various potential environmental issues. We or companies we have acquired are responsible, or alleged to be responsible, for environmental investigation and/or remediation of multiple sites. These sites are in various stages of investigation and/or remediation and in some cases our liability is considered de minimis. Notices from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) or equivalent state or international environmental agencies allege that several sites formerly or currently owned and/or operated by us or companies we have acquired, and other properties or water supplies that may be or have been impacted from those operations, contain disposed or recycled materials or wastes and require environmental investigation and/or remediation. These sites include instances of being identified as a potentially responsible party

under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (commonly known as the “Superfund Act”) and/or equivalent state and international laws. For example, in June 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, notified several potentially responsible parties, including Exelis, which we acquired in 2015, of potential responsibility for contribution to the environmental investigation and remediation of multiple locations in Alaska. In addition, in March 2016, the EPA notified over 100 potentially responsible parties, including Exelis, of potential liability for the cost of remediation for the 8.3-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River in New Jersey, estimated by the EPA to be $1.38 billion. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, the EPA further announced an interim plan to remediate sediment in the upper nine miles of the of the Lower Passaic River with an estimated cost of $441 million. The potential responsible parties’ respective allocations for the Lower Passaic River remediation have not been determined. Although it is not feasible to predict the outcome of these environmental claims made against us, based on available information, in the opinion of our management, any payments we may be required to make as a result of environmental claims made against us in existence at December 31, 2021 are reserved against, covered by insurance or would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or equity.