Blackhawk Combat Systems was formed in 2944 and was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Blackhawks Armored Cavalry. BCS specialized in customizing standard BattleMech and vehicle designs to tailor them to a clients particular needs. The Blackhawks hace maintained a highly skilled technical arm since the fall of the first Star League. The decision was made to begin contracting these skills to generate additional revenue. Eventually BCS reached a level where it began to branch out into the actual design of new 'Mechs and vehicles beginning with it's highly successful Ballista and Onager artillery vehicles.
Mango MechWorks had been in existence since 2820 and originally was a sub-contractor to a number of BattleMech production companies in the Federated Suns. Following the brutal destruction of the First Succession War, a quick return of production capacity was needed and Mango MechWorks was formed to help meet that need.
A privately held company owned by the influental Braham family of the Davion world of David, Mango MechWorks quickly progressed from a sub-contractor to a complete BattleMech production company producing several designs under license, such as the Marauder, Warhammer, Archer, and Phoenix Hawk. Eventually Mango MechWorks branched out into the AeroSpace field starting out by overhauling older DropShips and AeroSpace fighters, moving on to full production of Overlord, and Union class DropShips as well as Stuka AeroSpace fighters.
Seeking to branch out further, Mango MechWorks began to develop some new designs of its own. However limitations in technology kept the inovative ideas on the drawing board. With the recovery of LostTech the means were now available to implement these new designs. Work began by refitting their current production lines to make use of recovered high-tech systems and gaining experience in their fabrication and use.
The merger began as the result of the long friendship between the Robertson and Braham families. Under the command of Lt. Gen. John Robertson Sr. the Blackhawks and BCS began a close working relationship with Mango MechWorks while the Blackhawks were stationed on the Draconis March world of Exeter. BCS techs began sharing their retained knowledge of Star League era systems and helped the Mango MechWorks engineers quickly come up to speed regarding their specs.
Currently serving as a Colonel in the Blackhawks, Zachary Braham inherited control of Mango MechWorks in 3048 following the retirement of his father, Working with Gen. Robertson a merger was planned between Blackhawks Combat Systems and Mango MechWorks which was completed late in 3050. Following the merger the new entity known as Black Mango Heavy Industries was born.
A first order of business was expanding the production facilites available to Black Mango. Along with the original facilities in the David system, former BCS facilities on Solaris VII and the Fed Suns world of Leipsic have been expanded to meet growing production demands. A new subsidary division of Black Mango Heavy Industries, Black Mango AeroSpace Industries has been formed to focus on and expand production capabilities for AeroSpace fighter and DropShip production as well as new JumpShip and eventual WarShip capacity.
.
