Then, in May, the Pentagon's Defence Contract Management Agency announced an inquiry into allegations that the company was violating the (aptly-named) Berry amendment, which has prohibited the use of foreign materials in products bought by the Department of Defence for more than 50 years.

ECONOMIST: Well, hardly

He said he had asked Defence Secretary Des Browne for an urgent inquiry into the loss of the contract, following his department's concerns about KBR's float on the US stock exchange.

BBC: Workers at Appledore shipyard already face redundancies