What PBS Aerospace does

PBS Aerospace Inc. is the U.S. operating subsidiary of Czech parent PBS GROUP a.s., a 200+ year-old industrial enterprise with approximately 50 years of aerospace-specific experience. Headquartered in Roswell, Georgia since September 2025 with a registered office in Atlanta, the company manufactures small turbojet, turboprop, and turboshaft engines with thrust ranging from 400 to 3,400 N, along with auxiliary power units (APUs), environmental control systems (ECS), aircraft devices, and engine components. Its defense-oriented TJ40 and TJ80 turbojet engines are designed for rapid integration into cruise missiles, loitering munitions, and attritable drone platforms; commercial offerings span UAVs, microjets, ultralight helicopters, and experimental aircraft.

The company operates with 90% in-house production across a 24,000 m2 facility, supported by 99% U.S.-domestic sourcing, precision casting capability using nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys, and full lifecycle services from R&D and design through testing, certification, and overhaul. Technology is 100% proprietary, with product certifications including EASA DOA/POA/MOA, AS/EN 9100, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, NADCAP, and military approvals under EMAR 21.

PBS Aerospace's go-to-market is anchored on direct U.S. Department of Defense procurement — including a $3 million U.S. Air Force contract for one-way attack drone engines and a multi-year subcontract with Zone 5 Technologies — supplemented by commercial aerospace sales through OEM integration and aerospace distributors. The company is privately held by PBS GROUP owner William Didden, who has committed $125 million in total to scale U.S. production, with current capacity reported as sold out through 2027.

Name

PBS Aerospace

Legal name

PBS AEROSPACE Inc.

Website

https://pbsaerospace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1824

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

PBS Aerospace Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Czech parent PBS GROUP, manufactures small turbojet engines (TJ40, TJ80), APUs, and environmental control systems for U.S. defense programs — primarily cruise missiles and attritable drones — and commercial aerospace customers, operating a 24,000 m2 production facility in Roswell, Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Propulsion Systems

NAICS

Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336412), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro primary industry

Turbojet Engines (IMABADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Turboprop Engines (IMABADAB), Turboshaft Engines (IMABADAD), Engine Control, Fuel & Ignition Systems (FADEC/Accessories) (IMABADAK)

Keywords

• Military turbojet engines
• Aerospace propulsion systems
• Auxiliary power units
• Environmental control systems
• Defense aerospace manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Defense Contract Manufacturing: PBS Aerospace manufactures military-grade turbojet engines under direct contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, including U.S. Air Force contracts for attritable drone systems and cruise missile propulsion. Revenue is generated through multi-year subcontracts such as the $3 million U.S. Air Force contract for turbojet engines for one-way attack drones.
2. Commercial Aircraft Components: Sale of turbine engines, APUs, environmental control systems, and engine components to commercial aerospace customers. Products include starter-generators, ignition units, and gearboxes compatible with PBS turbine engines and power systems from other manufacturers.
3. Maintenance and Overhaul Services: Scheduled maintenance, general overhauls, diagnostics, technical condition assessment, service life extension, warranty and post-warranty service, spare parts, and modernization of existing products for civil and military aviation customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PBS Aerospace manufactures military-grade turbojet engines (TJ40 and TJ80), auxiliary power units (APUs), environmental control systems (ECS), and standalone aircraft devices and engine components. Its engines deliver thrust from 400 to 3,400 N for UAVs, cruise missiles, attritable drones, microjets, and ultralight helicopters. The company supplies the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, and defense prime contractors under multi-year procurement and OEM integration contracts.

Product overview

PBS Aerospace is the U.S. subsidiary of Czech-based PBS GROUP, a 200+ year-old aerospace technology company. The company manufactures small jet engines with thrust ranging from 400 to 3,400 N, primarily for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles, and light aircraft. The product portfolio centers on turbine engines (including the TJ40 and TJ80 turbojet engines for defense applications), auxiliary power units (APU), environmental control systems (ECS), and aircraft devices/engine components. PBS also produces precision castings from nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys. The company operates with 90% in-house production and holds EASA certifications (DOA, POA, MOA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PBS TJ40: Turbojet engine designed for rapid integration into missile and autonomous systems
• PBS TJ80

Products and services

• Aircraft Turbine Engines PBS turbine aircraft engines power unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), light and experimental aircraft, microjets, and ultralight helicopters. They feature compact construction, high thrust at low weight, and proven reliability, with thrust ranging from 400 to 3,400 N and speeds up to 0.9 Mach.
• TJ40 Turbojet Engine Military-grade turbojet engine designed for rapid integration into missiles and autonomous drone systems, providing propulsion for small one-way attack drones and attritable drone programs serving U.S. defense customers.
• TJ80 Turbojet Engine Larger military-grade turbojet engine designed for rapid deployment into cruise missiles and unmanned systems, supporting U.S. defense propulsion programs and onshoring of jet propulsion for cruise missiles and unmanned drones.
• Auxiliary Power Units (APU) Onboard sources of electrical power and compressed air for aircraft and helicopters, providing independent supply for starting main engines and powering onboard systems without running main engines. Features up to 6 hours continuous operation and 9+ years time-between-overhauls.
• Environmental Control Systems (ECS) Aircraft and helicopter environmental control systems providing cabin cooling, heating, and ventilation in a single compact system using air from engines or APU, requiring no refrigerant.
• Aircraft Devices and Engine Components Standalone instruments and components including starter-generators, ignition units, and gearboxes, proven through long-term operation under demanding conditions. Products are compatible with PBS turbine engines as well as power systems from other manufacturers.
• Maintenance, Overhaul, and Spare Parts Services Scheduled maintenance, general overhauls, diagnostics, technical condition assessment, service life extension, warranty and post-warranty service, spare parts, and modernization of existing products for civil and military aviation customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Production capacity of thousands of engines annually by 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Zone 5 TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Multi-year subcontract agreement worth several tens of millions of dollars for Zone 5 Technologies to support U.S. defense propulsion programs. The deal draws on proven solutions from PBS Group's Czech operations and includes PBS Aerospace's TJ40 and TJ80 turbojet engines designed for rapid integration into missile and autonomous systems. This partnership aims to onshore key jet propulsion systems for cruise missiles and unmanned drones, decreasing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base.
• Georgia TechcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic collaboration with Georgia Tech's Zinn Combustion Laboratory for advanced engine testing, fuel efficiency research, and materials optimization. PBS Aerospace has established its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Roswell, Georgia, leveraging Georgia Tech's research capabilities to advance defense innovation in drone and propulsion technology.
• PBS GROUPcoreOthersCzech aerospace defense company and parent corporation of PBS Aerospace. PBS GROUP has committed $125 million total to its U.S. enterprise including $35 million initial investment and $90 million in a second phase. The parent company provides proven engine solutions technology including TJ40 and TJ80 turbojet engines.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nammo: Nammo produces small turbojet engines and propulsion systems for missiles, UAVs, and loitering munitions, including engines analogous to PBS's TJ40/TJ80. The two companies compete for similar defense propulsion programs in the U.S. and Europe.
• Williams International: Williams International is a closely held U.S. manufacturer of small turbojet and turbofan engines (e.g., F107, F112) used in cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft — directly comparable to PBS Aerospace's TJ40/TJ80 turbojet product line serving the same defense and missile propulsion customers.
• Microturbo (Safran): Microturbo, a Safran subsidiary, is a leading European manufacturer of small turbojet engines for missiles, UAVs, and target drones. It competes head-to-head with PBS Aerospace in the small turbojet propulsion segment for cruise missiles and loitering munitions.

Broad incumbents

• General Atomics: General Atomics manufactures attritable unmanned aerial systems (e.g., MQ-series) requiring small turbojet/turbofan propulsion. It is a downstream buyer-adjacent player whose propulsion sourcing decisions affect the addressable market for PBS Aerospace's engines.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell Aerospace manufactures a range of small turbojet and turbofan engines, propulsion units, and APUs across military and commercial aviation. It overlaps with PBS Aerospace in small engine propulsion for unmanned and attritable systems, though at far larger scale and scope.
• Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman manufactures cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems that consume small turbojet propulsion. As both a customer and competing systems integrator, it is relevant for understanding PBS Aerospace's missile and UAV propulsion demand pipeline.
• Safran Aircraft Engines: Safran Aircraft Engines is a global propulsion OEM offering military and commercial engine programs. Through its Microturbo subsidiary, it overlaps directly with PBS Aerospace in small turbojet engines for missiles and UAVs.
• Pratt & Whitney (RTX): Pratt & Whitney is a major global manufacturer of military and commercial aircraft engines, including small turbofan/turbojet platforms for missiles and UAVs. It is a far larger incumbent whose propulsion offerings intersect with PBS Aerospace's defense customer set.
• Aerojet Rocketdyne (L3Harris): Aerojet Rocketdyne, now part of L3Harris, supplies propulsion systems for tactical missiles, cruise missiles, and defense applications. It is a much larger incumbent that competes for the same DoD propulsion contracts PBS Aerospace is targeting with its turbojet engines.

Emerging players

• Kelley Aerospace: Kelley Aerospace is an emerging developer of small turbojet engines for UAVs, loitering munitions, and cruise missile-class applications. As a smaller-scale competitor, it is comparable to PBS Aerospace in targeting attritable drone and missile propulsion programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pbs_aerospace

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PBS Aerospace