Aerospace and Defense Review
H3 Manufacturing Group: A Manufacturing Powerhouse for Aerospace and Defense

Top 10 Defense Manufacturing Companies - 2020

The defense sector showed high growth rates over the previous year, with defense budgets increasing significantly. With the onset of a new decade, governments and contractors look to modern advancements in technologies that can outshine the previous achievements in the defense sector. The increasing security threats have resulted in governments worldwide increase their defense budgets. Experts suggest that the defense expenditure could grow by three to four percent in 2020, reaching figures of USD 1.9 trillion, as governments across the globe continue to modernize and recapitalize their militaries.

Like all other industries, the defense manufacturing sector has also been highly influenced by Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR) technologies. As an industry that requires severe training of professionals, gaming has played a significant part in the process of training and simulations. Also, AR & VR technologies can make field soldiers more effective through the use of equipment such as wearable glasses and headsets. Data transmitted from these devices can be overlaid onto a battlefield, providing soldiers with mapping information, movement markers, and more.

Over the last few years, every sector has been leveraging the benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, including the defense industry. As an industry where split-second decisions can lead to dire consequences, IoT devices offer unprecedented advantages like never before. Sensors embedded on a soldier’s suit, helmet, and other equipment could capture biometric data, contextual information, and even details on the soldier’s physical and mental state. This increases the lethality of the soldier and also increases the chances of survival.

In an attempt to help our readers navigate through the rapidly transforming field of defense manufacturing, we have compiled a list of the most promising defense manufacturing firms in the industry. We present Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Review’s ‘Top 10 Defense Manufacturing Companies - 2020’

    Top Defense Manufacturing Companies

    Bandy Manufacturing
    Bandy Manufacturing is an aerospace machine shop focused on manufacturing highly specialized, custom and standard aerospace hinges. The company supports a wide range of military and commercial aircrafts, aerospace vehicle, and non-aerospace applications. With its proprietary drilling process, full suite of in-house hinge making equipment and their state-of-the-art CNC capabilities, Bandy Manufacturing produce complex, close-tolerance long hinge lengths across a wide range of materials including titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and brass.
    FiberQA
    FiberQA manufactures automated test and clean equipment for fiber optic end face connectors for use in Datacom, Telecom, & MIL-Aero applications. FiberQA product lines include FastMT single-ferrule desktop fiberscope, and AVIT multi-ferrule inspection & cleaning systems. The latest addition to FiberQA's AVIT line has been probe-style fiberscopes that utilize robotics and automated software to inspect & clean extremely difficult to reach spaces without having to remove the connectors or cause part damage in the process.
    H3 Manufacturing Group
    H3 Manufacturing Group combines HL Precision Manufacturing's precision CNC machining, assembly, paint and powder coating and finishing capabilities with Hi-Grade Mfg’s laser cutting, fabrication, and complex welding capabilities to deliver a broad range of solutions a diverse group of aerospace and defense OEMs. Being a manufacturing powerhouse, instead of working just with the blueprints, the company always offers its manufacturing engineering expertise to ensure the best product for customers. Program management and on-time delivery are ingrained in H3 Manufacturing Group's undertakings, and quality is a mantra that the company lives by. They ensure fit, form, and function of all parts before they leave its facilities (in-house inspection for D&A weldments & assemblies) and also provide all necessary documentation.
    International Manufacturing Services
    IMS, a reliable chip resistor provider, established their niche in the industry through several innovations of thick film resistors. The company has continuously evolved and has created an impressive product portfolio with globally recognized standards to fit the requirements of the aerospace, defense, homeland security, medical and communications industries. Today, IMS boasts a best-in-class collection of resistors, attenuators, including temperature variable attenuators, thermal transfer devices, and power termination components that are sought by and developed for the defense sector for a myriad of high frequency and high-power applications. With almost a half-century of experience in the marketplace, the company has a wide array of passive component options
    Inventus Power
    Inventus Power specializes in the production of advanced battery systems such as Li-ion battery packs, smart chargers, and efficient power supplies across a broad range of portable, motive, and stationary applications. With multi-country locations across four continents and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, China, and Malaysia, the company strategically positioned to support the needs of global brands. From design & engineering to performance testing & mass production, Inventus Power provides accelerated end-to-end solutions.
    Parts Life, Inc.
    Parts Life is a DMSMS company that focuses on early identification and resolution of obsolescence-related issues that appear in the defense sector. The company’s mission is to increase the life of military assets by providing high-quality parts that not only meet but also exceed their OEM specifications. Parts Life’s solutions suit the need of land-, air- and water-based defense assets. One solution can be implemented on different types of assets. Where its ROPE solution improves a product type from low-rate to high-end production, the 5R solution uses a combination of multiple processes to breathe new life into old parts.
    Pilkington Metal Finishing
    Pilkington is a Nadcap accredited company specializing in chemical processing for the aerospace and defense sector whose prime customers include Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Gulfstream Aerospace, and General Atomics. Pilkington’s core capabilities include sulfuric, boric-sulfuric, and chromic acid anodizing; conversion coating, wet paint/powder coating, non-destructive testing, and heat-treating services. Wisconsin-based Pioneer Metal Finishing strategically acquired Utah-based Pilkington Metal Finishing recently with an intention to further entrench its presence into the aerospace and defense (A&D) market.
    CED Services
    CED Services proudly machines and assembles complex parts for the Aerospace Industry, Medical Industry, Defense Industry, and more. The company's state-of-the-art CNC Machining facility, precise machining, and assembly processes, and strict Quality Assurance procedures have earned us AS9100/ISO9001 Registration. Strategically located in Oxford, CT, CED's modern CNC machining facility is halfway between New York and Boston and only one mile from Oxford Airport. In 1982, CED Services opened its doors with a focus on being a high-quality design consultancy and product development firm. From the very beginning, company Founder and CEO Steven Meyer was committed to applying sound and innovative engineering principles to meet better the part development challenges presented by a wide range of industries.
    Ebco
    Ebco is a world-class supplier of engineered rubber products for industrial applications. The company specializes in repeating sales to Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries. Today, Ebco has one of the most comprehensive catalogs of engineered isolators and seals in the industry. The company is currently headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, with facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, Dublin, Ireland, and Xiamen, China. This allows the company to provide Just In Time delivery and localized service globally without sacrificing quality or cost. Ebco's team of engineers are available to provide customized solutions and on-site support for your isolation and sealing needs.
    Triumph Group
    Triumph Group designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aviation and industrial components, accessories, subassemblies, systems, and aircraft structures. The company partners with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators of commercial, regional, business, and military aircraft worldwide, to provide products and services that solve their hardest problems. So whatever the part, component, or complexity of assembly, Triumph is committed to quality, service, and meeting the specialized needs of each customer. Triumph participates at all levels of the aerospace supply chain – from single components to complex systems to aerospace structures and their contents.

A&D Manufacturing Info

Q1
What Do Top A&D Manufacturers Do?
Top A&D Manufacturers design, build and supply the components, assemblies and production capabilities that support aerospace and defense programs. Their work can range from precision machining, fabrication and composite manufacturing to electronics, testing, inspection and final assembly. Many serve aircraft manufacturers, defense contractors, government agencies and space programs that depend on strict quality requirements and long production lifecycles. Unlike many commercial manufacturing sectors, aerospace and defense production often involves detailed documentation, certification requirements and traceability standards. A small issue in a component can create delays across an entire program. That makes manufacturing discipline just as important as production capacity.
Q2
Why Do Top A&D Manufacturers Matter More Today?
The demand facing Top A&D Manufacturers has shifted in recent years. Defense modernization programs, aircraft production recovery, satellite growth and supply chain pressures have increased the need for reliable manufacturing partners. Many organizations are also balancing new production requirements with aging equipment, workforce shortages and stricter compliance expectations. Production schedules leave little room for disruption. A delayed casting, inspection backlog or unavailable supplier can affect delivery timelines across multiple contractors. Buyers are paying closer attention to manufacturing resilience, lead times and quality control because downstream delays often become expensive very quickly.
Q3
How Should Organizations Evaluate A&D Manufacturing Providers?
Organizations should look beyond machine capacity and production volume. A stronger evaluation often starts with process control, certification history, inspection capability and program experience. It is also useful to review how a manufacturer handles documentation, engineering changes and production traceability. One practical test is to examine how a provider manages a design revision or late-stage specification update. Aerospace and defense projects rarely remain static. Manufacturers that can handle revisions without creating confusion in procurement, inspection or assembly workflows tend to be better prepared for complex programs.
Q4
What Business Value Do Top A&D Manufacturers Deliver?
The value extends well beyond producing parts. Top A&D Manufacturers help reduce production risk, improve quality consistency and support long-term program stability. Many aerospace and defense products remain in service for decades, which makes manufacturing reliability especially important. A poorly manufactured component can result in rework, certification delays or maintenance issues later on. In contrast, dependable manufacturing support helps organizations stay on track with production schedules, manage costs and avoid disruptions during assembly and testing. For many defense and aerospace programs, the quality of manufacturing directly affects readiness, availability and lifecycle performance.
Q5
How Are Technology and Manufacturing Expertise Shaping the Sector?
Advanced inspection systems, digital measurement tools, automation and testing technologies are becoming more common throughout aerospace and defense manufacturing environments. Precision measurement and validation processes help manufacturers meet increasingly tight tolerances and quality requirements. Expertise still matters as much as technology. Many aerospace components involve specialized materials, complex geometries or demanding environmental requirements. Manufacturing teams often need to balance production speed with inspection accuracy and regulatory compliance. Even highly automated facilities depend on experienced engineering and quality personnel to prevent costly mistakes before products move further down the supply chain.
Q6
What Should Decision-Makers Prioritize When Comparing Top A&D Manufacturers?
When comparing Top A&D Manufacturers, decision-makers should focus on quality systems, production consistency, traceability, inspection capability and long-term support. Capacity matters, but it should not outweigh process discipline and reliability. It is worth reviewing how a manufacturer handles supplier management, documentation requests, testing requirements and replacement-part production. Aerospace and defense programs often continue for many years after initial delivery. Buyers usually benefit from manufacturers that can support ongoing production, maintenance requirements and program changes without creating additional supply chain complexity. A dependable manufacturing partner often becomes part of the program itself rather than just a supplier.