Galvion teams with NP Aerospace and establishes UK Helmet production hub.

Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of military head protection systems and intelligent power and data management solutions, has established a strategic partnership with the UK-based global Defence composites company, NP Aerospace. The relationship is announced as the first batch of NP-produced product is accepted and ready to deliver, and marks NP Aerospace becoming a key helmet production partner. NP Aerospace is manufacturing Galvion’s proprietary helmet designs to stringent production specifications and delivering to Galvion’s local UK and continental Europe customer base.
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Jonathan Blanshay, Executive Chairman of the Board of Galvion, and James Kempston, CEO of NP Aerospace, holding a sample of Galvion’s Batlskin Cobra Plus helmet manufactured in the UK Coventry facility (Picture source: Galvion/NP Aerospace)

This new long-term, mutually exclusive partnership will initially focus on the delivery of Galvion’s Cobra Plus helmets into the UK MoD’s Virtus programme. Since the contract award in 2015, Galvion has produced and delivered over 200,000 helmet systems to the UK’s Virtus programme. NP Aerospace, already a long-standing and trusted supplier of the UK MoD, brings decades of advanced composite material and armour system manufacturing expertise to the venture, ensuring a continuity of production excellence for Galvion’s customers.

With validations, compliance assurance, tools, and technology transfer complete, NP Aerospace has concluded the Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase and will deliver the first production batch, marking the transition to full operating capability of the new production facility. The on-shore UK production collaboration will shorten supply chains, improve responsiveness, and provide a platform for future support and sustainment, enhancing the UK’s Virtus programme customer journey. In addition, this move to regionalization fully aligns with the UK customer’s Land Industrial Strategy (LIS) and places Galvion in a strong position to continue to export to and support yet more European and wider regional customers.

James Kempston, CEO at NP Aerospace, said: “NP Aerospace has a strong capability in delivering high volume military helmet programmes. We have delivered 625,000 helmets to UK MoD since the mid-1990s, and we are a long-term trusted supplier on multiple UK DE&S equipment programmes. We are honoured to be partnering with Galvion to continue the legacy of excellence with the UK-manufactured Virtus Cobra Plus Helmet and look forward to the opportunities that this relationship presents for the future.”

Jonathan Blanshay, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at Galvion, said: “We are firmly committed to providing best-in-class products and service to our global customer network. The UK’s MoD is an exceedingly high priority for Galvion, and we believe this new alliance represents a win-win for all parties. I’d like to thank all partners involved for working together to benefit our joint customer”.He added: “With everything going on in the world today, regional partnering and collaboration is part of a wider strategic initiative to establish onshore and localized production to enhance delivery, flexibility, responsiveness, and supportability for our customers around the world.”

Defense News August 2023