Chinese Controversy 2? US Army Buying Lenovo Computers

Tabula Rasa? On Aug 24/11, the Tobyhanna Army Depot in Tobyhanna, PA announced over $20 million in contracts for 12,263 computers and tablets, to be delivered by the end of November 2011. No eyebrows were raised over Dell’s $7.5 million contract for 354 Latitude E6520 computers and 6,295 Dell OptiPlex small form factor computers (W91QUZ-06-D-0006), but a $13.6 million contract to Iron Bow Technology in Chantilly, VA may attract more scrutiny. Iron Bow is asked to deliver 5,096 Lenovo tablets; 217 Lenovo think pads; 520 Lenovo think centre computers; 261 Fujitsu computers; and 40 Wyse computers (W91QUZ-06-D-0010). Because the Chinese government owns a significant share of Lenovo’s parent firm, Lenovo computers have been a source of controversy in the past. The US State Department was forced to backtrack on a 2006 purchase of 16,000 computers, pledging to keep them off of networks that handle classified government messages and documents. Iron Bow refused to comment on the deal, or on any security measures they might be able to undertake.