US officials investigating arms deals by Britain's biggest defence firm BAE Systems served subpoenas on serveral of its executives last week, the firm said today.
"The DoJ (Department of Justice) last week served a number of subpoenas on our employees as part of its ongoing investigation," company spokesman John Neilson said.
"The DoJ is part of that investigation and has the power to do this," he said. "Our business continues as normal. We expected something like that at some stage."
A group of BAE executives including chief executive Mike Turner were met by US law enforcement officials at Houston's George Bush International Airport during the week.
"The people concerned were not prevented from entering the US and Mike Turner is back home (in Britain)," Neilson said.
US and British authorities have both investigated whether BAE broke laws by paying millions of pounds to Saudi officials to win a giant arms deal. The company has denied that it broke any laws.
The British government ordered its probe of the company to be shut down in late 2006 citing national security, but the US investigation has continued.