LIFT Airborne Technologies

What LIFT Airborne Technologies does

LIFT Airborne Technologies, LLC is a private for-profit company that designs and manufactures advanced flight helmet systems and componentry for military and aviation applications. Operating as part of the Fairway Group portfolio (alongside LIFT Aviation, LIFT Safety, and EVS Sports, the latter established in 1985), the company primarily serves the U.S. Department of Defense, allied military forces, and, on a smaller scale, general aviation pilots. Its flagship engagement is with the U.S. Air Force, for which it was named sole contractor of the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH) program through the AFWERX innovation initiative after defeating over 100 global competitors. The company is headquartered at 4851 Goni Rd, Carson City, Nevada, with an additional office in Rancho Dominguez, California, and employs approximately 11–50 people.

The product portfolio centers on the AV2 Vendetta fixed-wing helmet and the AV3 Assault rotary-wing helmet (releasing 2026), both built on a 12K aerospace-grade carbon fiber shell and a proprietary Koroyd/EPS hybrid impact-protection liner. Notable technical components include Active Noise Reduction (ANR), an off-helmet Aircrew Mounted Power Supply (AMPS), advanced acoustic ear cups delivering over 88% speech intelligibility, a modular visor shroud system, rotatable bayonet receivers, and a patented Earcup Adjuster. The AV2 Vendetta became the first fixed-wing flight helmet in history to pass the U.S. Air Force's 600 KEAS ejection sled test and has cleared 53 rigorous MIL-STD evaluations. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification.

The business model is predominantly hardware sales via direct government defense contracts, executed through an enterprise field-sales motion targeting U.S. Air Force Program Management Offices and military procurement teams; this involves extensive testing and certification cycles. Secondary revenue derives from direct sales of helmets to DoD personnel, contractors, and allied forces, and a small e-commerce stream selling consumer accessories such as the Earcup Adjuster through the LIFT Aviation storefront (liftaviationusa.com). No pricing is publicly disclosed; defense contracts are negotiated individually.

Name

LIFT Airborne Technologies

Legal name

LIFT Airborne Technologies, LLC

Website

https://liftairborne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LIFT Airborne Technologies designs and manufactures advanced military flight helmet systems, including the AV2 Vendetta fixed-wing and AV3 rotary-wing helmets, serving the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, allied forces, and general aviation pilots.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Aviation Helmets

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Rotorcraft Cabin Interiors & Mission Equipment (IMABABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Military Rotorcraft Platforms (IMABAMAB), Military Aircraft Platforms (Fixed-Wing) (IMABAMAA)

Keywords

• Flight helmet systems
• Military aviation equipment
• Aircrew protective gear
• Rotary wing helmets
• Fixed wing helmets

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Dominguez

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Defense Contracts: LIFT Airborne Technologies generates revenue through direct government contracts with the U.S. Air Force for the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH) program. The company was selected as sole contractor following multi-year competition through the AFWERX innovation program.
2. Military and Defense Helmet Sales: Direct sales of advanced flight helmets to Department of Defense personnel, military contractors, and allied forces.
3. Commercial Aviation Accessories: Sale of accessories including the patented Earcup Adjuster through e-commerce channels for general aviation pilots.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LIFT Airborne Technologies designs, develops, and manufactures advanced flight helmet systems for military fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircrews. Its portfolio centers on the AV2 Vendetta fixed-wing helmet and the AV3 Assault rotary-wing helmet, integrating 12K aerospace-grade carbon fiber shells, Koroyd/EPS hybrid impact liners, Active Noise Reduction, and Aircrew Mounted Power Supply. The company also sells helmet accessories such as the patented Earcup Adjuster through its LIFT Aviation e-commerce store.

Product overview

LIFT Airborne Technologies offers a portfolio of advanced flight helmet systems for military and aviation applications. The product line centers on the AV2 Vendetta (fixed wing) and AV3 Assault (rotary wing) helmets, both featuring proprietary Koroyd/EPS hybrid impact protection and carbon fiber construction. The company also develops the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH) for the U.S. Air Force under AFWERX contract. Supporting accessories include the patented Earcup Adjuster. All products emphasize lightweight design, superior impact protection, and mission-ready integration with aviation systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AV2 Vendetta Fixed Wing Helmet Lightweight fixed-wing flight helmet featuring a 12K carbon fiber shell, Koroyd/EPS hybrid impact liner, and 600 KEAS ejection certification. Includes advanced acoustic ear cups with 88%+ speech intelligibility, magnetic visor system meeting MIL-DTL-43511 Rev D, and rotatable bayonet receivers with 45-degree adjustment per side. Designed for military fixed-wing aircrews.
• AV3 Assault Rotary Wing Helmet Next-generation rotary-wing helmet featuring lightweight carbon fiber construction, Koroyd/EPS hybrid impact protection, modular visor shroud system, and NVG compatibility. Designed for military, contractors, and general aviation helicopter aircrews.
• Earcup Adjuster Patented universal adjustment system for helmet earcups enabling precision fit up, down, and swivel without removing helmet. Features hook and loop fasteners for easy installation. Compatible with AV2.2 and older helmet systems. Sold via LIFT Aviation e-commerce store.
• Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH) Advanced fixed-wing flight helmet developed for the U.S. Air Force under the AFWERX program, incorporating Active Noise Reduction (ANR), Aircrew Mounted Power Supply (AMPS), carbon fiber shell, and custom fit system. Tested across centrifuge, deceleration, audio/communications, and anthropometric evaluations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21% lighter than traditional fixed-wing helmets
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. Air Force (AFWERX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020LIFT Airborne was awarded an Other Transactional Authority (OTA) Agreement in 2020 through the AFWERX innovation program to design and develop the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet. Working directly with US Air Force, LIFT designed, developed, and conducted extensive testing of a robust helmet system to meet warfighter needs. The company won the multi-year competition against 100+ global contenders to become sole contractor.
• KoroydcoreTechnology or IntegrationKoroyd provides next-generation tubular structure technology for impact energy absorption, weight reduction, and improved airflow. Their technology is integrated into LIFT's helmet liner systems, delivering performance advantages that traditional materials cannot match.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ops-Core (a Gentex company): Manufacturer of advanced tactical and aircrew helmet systems; comparable to LIFT in mission equipment focus and military end-market, with overlap in modular helmet-mounted system integration.
• Galvion: Supplier of advanced soldier protective equipment including head systems; comparable in mission-equipment positioning and defense customer base, with overlap on integrated head-borne capability.
• Revision Military: Developer of military head protection and helmet systems for defense and law enforcement; comparable in product category (military helmets) and customer base, though focused more on ground/ballistic than ejection-rated flight helmets.
• Gentex Corporation: Long-standing U.S. supplier of advanced flight helmets (HGU-55/P, HGU-56/P) for the U.S. Air Force and allied militaries; directly comparable to LIFT in product category (military flight helmets) and customer base, and is the most likely incumbent competitor on follow-on NGFWH procurements.
• Avon Protection: Manufacturer of respiratory and head protection systems for military, first responder, and industrial customers; comparable in protective head-borne equipment category and defense/law enforcement customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Thales Group: Global defense prime producing helmet-mounted display systems (TopOwl) and avionics for fixed-wing and rotary-wing pilots; comparable to LIFT as a flight helmet/HMD supplier serving the same military pilot customer base, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Elbit Systems: Israeli defense electronics company with a significant helmet-mounted display and avionics business serving aircrew; comparable in aircrew mission equipment, though operates as a broad defense prime spanning many platforms.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Major avionics and flight systems supplier to military and commercial aviation; comparable as a broader incumbent in cockpit/avionics integration relevant to helmet system interoperability.
• BAE Systems: Major defense prime with electronic systems, avionics, and platform integration capabilities relevant to aircrew equipment; comparable as a broad incumbent in defense electronics that could compete for or partner on aircrew helmet programs.
• 3M Personal Safety Division: Diversified PPE manufacturer with military and industrial safety head protection offerings; comparable in protective equipment category but operates as a broad incumbent across many industrial and defense end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/liftairborne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lift-airborne-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/liftairborne

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 LIFT Airborne Technologies