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Oct 14, 2024

NP Aerospace: Testing Body Armor At The Ballistic Testing Range

In the competitive body armor industry, brands strive to create gear that is lightweight yet offers excellent protection. Navigating to reach the best balance between these two features, along with a

In the competitive body armor industry, brands strive to create gear that is lightweight yet offers excellent protection. Navigating to reach the best balance between these two features, along with a price that won’t break the bank, manufacturers have one more key factor to consider: quality. While many companies focus on weight and cost, the best ones also pay attention to using innovative materials and conducting thorough testing. This focus on quality means their products don’t just meet safety standards—they also perform reliably when it matters most.

NP Aerospace has a long history in defense and composite technologies, but recent years have brought big changes. In 2023, the company split into two new business units—Composites and Armour Systems, and Vehicle Systems, Services, and Spares—helping it grow rapidly. That year, NP Aerospace saw a fourfold increase in revenue, driven by major global defense projects and new partnerships. The company also expanded its production and showcased its latest military collaborations at key industry events, highlighting its continued growth and innovation in the defense sector.

NP Aerospace’s personal protection division specializes in creating lightweight, high-performance armor for people in dangerous environments. It operates through two main brands. The first, LASA Soldier Systems, offers ultra-lightweight helmets, body armor, and ballistic shields for soldiers and law enforcement. The second focuses on bomb disposal and de-mining, providing specialized protective suits for EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) missions.

In a recent chat with Sam Foreman, the Business Development Director at NP Aerospace, we explored how the company’s private testing facility enhances its body armor innovation, enabling it to customize products to meet clients’ unique needs.

Having an in-house testing facility, like NP Aerospace, is relatively uncommon and offers several advantages, such as more control over quality assurance, faster testing and iteration cycles, and the ability to conduct batch testing during production. In-house testing facilities are seen as a marker of a company’s commitment to quality and innovation, as they can ensure more rigorous and consistent testing protocols beyond the minimum required certifications.

”For every single product run that we do, we do batch testing on the product as it goes through production,” explains Foreman. While a lot of body armor manufacturers compete on weight and price, NP Aerospace now draws their marketing around an in-house ballistic testing laboratory.

NP Aerospace’s ballistic testing range stands out for its independence and adherence to rigorous ballistic standards, with ISO 17025 UKAS accreditation. All testing is free from management interference and meets international standards like NIJ, NATO STANAG, and MIL-STD. Equipped with two live firing ranges and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, NP Aerospace is able to conduct comprehensive ballistic tests across both personal body armor and vehicle systems.

As the landscape of the security and defense market evolves, the emphasis on testing could reshape how personal protection is designed and delivered. However, pushing the boundaries of technology and design in this sector is a long journey, and ensuring that those who rely on these products are equipped with the best protection available remains a significant challenge.

”Not everyone in this market does that for cost reasons. They will certify a plate to a standard and then produce the plate. All that the standard requires is to certify and then produce the plate. We don’t do that. We make sure that we do the batch testing because we know in any production run that’s done, there are no guarantees unless you’re testing that every single product is the same. And therefore, important to us is that if there’s a failure, the whole batch will not be accepted.”

The ballistic testing range is a significant advantage for the company, garnering appreciation and recognition from customers. It enhances the brand’s transparency and integrity, reinforcing its commitment to quality and reliability.

”[…] it allows us to monitor and control the whole production process should we see any changes in the ballistic performance as we produce the product. And that’s something I think the customer knows, but it’s not in the standard. So if the customer does know that more, then they start asking to make sure that they are prioritizing the quality as much as they are the certification and the price.”

Having an in-house testing facility isn’t just about ensuring product quality—it also accelerates the manufacturing process. With its own ballistic testing range, the manufacturer gains the flexibility to quickly adapt to the ever-changing and often unpredictable needs of its customers.

”[…]We pride ourselves on the speed because we have the test and production facilities in-house. We have the ability to very quickly take a product that’s maybe standard and a customer says, ‘but I would like this as well and be able to reduce that’, show it to them, and get to that very quickly. And, you know, I’m sure lots of the other companies out there can do similar, but if you’re too just product-focused and heavy, you’re not necessarily listening to the evolving needs. And so we need to have a good mix of both products.”

As Foreman points out, the security and defense market is cyclical and goes through ups and downs, but the company is well prepared and in-house facilities definitely help. This year, NP Aerospace has achieved a turnover of approximately £70 million, positioning the company for continued expansion in the future.

”We’ve got a good size and a good stable base and a good workforce, which allows us to listen to the customer and then quickly react with either product development or production capacity or commercial models or just, you know, diversifying product.”

”Our expertise,’’ answers Foreman when asked what he takes the most pride in.

‘’Like I mentioned earlier, it is in that agility to produce custom products, which we do often. […] We are a product company, definitely, but also, there are, a lot of engineers that are sitting behind the product that we make, and it’s their ingenuity to solve the problem, which is really we’re proud of, not just the product that comes out the end because you can launch a new product every year, but your engineers are very important.”

While NP Aerospace may often be associated with the concept of lightweight design, a conversation with Foreman reveals the depth of what lies behind the company’s products. It’s not just about manufacturing capabilities; it’s about the dedicated individuals who drive innovation and uphold the integrity behind their safety promises.

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