SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                        Washington, D.C.  20549



                              FORM 8-K


                           CURRENT REPORT




  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 13, 1999

                        KOLLMORGEN CORPORATION
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


             NEW YORK                 1-5562             04-2151861
(State or other Jurisdiction of    (Commission      (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)     File Number)     Identification No.)


  1601 Trapelo Road, Waltham, Massachusetts              02451
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)


(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code):     (781) 890-5655



                                   NONE
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)





<PAGE>2


Item 5.  Other Events.

    On December 13, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Registrant (the
"Board") approved and adopted Amendment No. 1, dated as of December 13, 1999, to
the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement ("Rights Agreement") dated October 22,
1998 ("Amendment No. 1") between the Registrant and BankBoston, N.A., a national
banking association, as rights agent.

    Amendment  No. 1  increased  the  percentage  of shares  of common  stock of
Kollmorgen  which Mario Gabelli,  Mark Gabelli and their  affiliates,  including
without limitation, those entities listed as "Reporting Persons" in the Schedule
13D under the Securities Exchange Act dated September 28, 1998, are permitted to
beneficially own pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement from 26% to 27%.

    A  copy  of  Amendment  No.  1 is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  1  and  is
incorporated herein by reference.  The foregoing  discussion does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Exhibit.

Item 7. EXHIBITS

4        Form of Amendment No. 1, dated as of December 13, 1999, to
         The Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as
         of October 22, 1998,  between the Registrant and BankBoston, N.A.,
         a national banking association, as rights agent.






<PAGE>3




                            SIGNATURE


    Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                             KOLLMORGEN CORPORATION


                             By:   /s/   James A. Eder
                                 James A. Eder, Vice President,
                                  Secretary and General Counsel

Date:   December 13, 1999





<PAGE>4




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit #                                   Description

      4                              Form of Amendment No. 1, dated as of
                                     December 13, 1999, to the Amended and
                                     Restated Rights Agreement dated as of
                                     October 22, 1998, between the Registrant
                                     and BankBoston, N.A., a national banking
                                     association, as rights agent.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3373}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "KOLLMORGEN CORP", "cik": "0000056583", "assigned-sic": "3621", "irs-number": "042151861", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-05562", "film-number": "500487"}, "business-address": {"street1": "RESERVOIR PL", "street2": "1601 TRAPELO RD", "city": "WALTHAM", "state": "MA", "zip": "02154", "phone": "6178905655"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "RESERVOIR PLACE", "street2": "1601 TRAPELO ROAD", "city": "WALTHAM", "state": "MA", "zip": "02154"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "KOLLMORGEN OPTICAL CORP", "date-changed": "19670928"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                        Washington, D.C.  20549

                              FORM 8-K

                           CURRENT REPORT

  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 13, 1999

                        KOLLMORGEN CORPORATION
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

             NEW YORK                 1-5562             04-2151861
(State or other Jurisdiction of    (Commission      (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)     File Number)     Identification No.)

  1601 Trapelo Road, Waltham, Massachusetts              02451
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)

(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code):     (781) 890-5655

                                   NONE
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
2

Item 5.  Other Events.

    On December 13, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Registrant (the
"Board") approved and adopted Amendment No. 1, dated as of December 13, 1999, to
the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement ("Rights Agreement") dated October 22,
1998 ("Amendment No. 1") between the Registrant and BankBoston, N.A., a national
banking association, as rights agent.

    Amendment  No. 1  increased  the  percentage  of shares  of common  stock of
Kollmorgen  which Mario Gabelli,  Mark Gabelli and their  affiliates,  including
without limitation, those entities listed as "Reporting Persons" in the Schedule
13D under the Securities Exchange Act dated September 28, 1998, are permitted to
beneficially own pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement from 26% to 27%.

    A  copy  of  Amendment  No.  1 is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  1  and  is
incorporated herein by reference.  The foregoing  discussion does not purport to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Exhibit.

Item 7. EXHIBITS

4        Form of Amendment No. 1, dated as of December 13, 1999, to
         The Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as
         of October 22, 1998,  between the Registrant and BankBoston, N.A.,
         a national banking association, as rights agent.
3

                            SIGNATURE

    Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                             KOLLMORGEN CORPORATION

                             By:   /s/   James A. Eder
                                 James A. Eder, Vice President,
                                  Secretary and General Counsel

Date:   December 13, 1999
4

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit #                                   Description

      4                              Form of Amendment No. 1, dated as of
                                     December 13, 1999, to the Amended and
                                     Restated Rights Agreement dated as of
                                     October 22, 1998, between the Registrant
                                     and BankBoston, N.A., a national banking
                                     association, as rights agent.