Aviation and Survival Support AS

What Aviation and Survival Support AS does

Aviation and Survival Support AS (A-SS) is a Norwegian privately held distributor and technical supplier of aviation, maritime, and defense survival equipment, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Barkåker, Vestfold, with a secondary sales office in Uppsala, Sweden. The firm operates as a specialist reseller serving commercial aviation, maritime/offshore, defense/military, and emergency services customers across the Nordic region and the Netherlands, distributing products on behalf of world-leading manufacturers including Survitec, Gecko Head Gear, Tiger Performance, East/West Industries, and Capewell Aerial Systems. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, and employs seven people.

The product portfolio centers on five categories: emergency breathing systems (EBS Series 3000/4500 from Tiger Performance, HEED 3 from Submersible Systems); marine and aviation safety helmets (Gecko series with patented inflatable liners); personal locator beacons (sMRT, Crewsafe); distress signals and pyrotechnics (Pains Wessex); and helicopter/safety accessories (Lite Flite gunner belts and lanyards, Survitec inflatable training walls, integrated medical modules). Technical differentiation is derived from manufacturer certifications — products are certified to EN 4856-2023, EN 250-2014, EN358:2000, PAS 028:2002, EN 12492, SOLAS 74/88, and US Navy standards — rather than proprietary R&D. The company itself holds NS-EN 9120:2018 / ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification alongside NCAGE (N4695) and DUNS (729715255) registrations enabling Nordic and NATO government contracting.

The business model is a distributor/reseller operation with multi-year framework contracts. Revenue derives from one-time equipment sales to government procurement agencies and defense organizations plus ongoing technical consultation, with pricing determined through competitive tendering rather than public list rates. The go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales combined with industry exhibition presence at DALO Industry Days (Denmark) and SAFE Europe (UK/Europe), supported by a LinkedIn corporate presence and website news publishing. Named customers include the Royal Air Force, Norwegian Defence, Luftambulanse (air ambulance), RNLI, offshore/SAR operators, and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration under a significant framework contract awarded October 9, 2025.

Name

Aviation and Survival Support AS

Legal name

Aviation and Survival Support AS

Website

https://a-ss.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aviation and Survival Support AS is a Norwegian distributor of aviation, maritime, and defense survival equipment, serving government and military customers across the Nordic region and the Netherlands via exclusive agreements with manufacturers including Survitec, East/West Industries, and Tiger Performance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation and Maritime Survival Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rotorcraft Cabin Interiors & Mission Equipment (IMABABAJ)

Keywords

• Aviation survival equipment
• Maritime safety gear
• Defense equipment distribution
• Search and rescue gear
• Emergency breathing apparatus

Headquarters

HQ city

Barkåker

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Distribution and Resale: Primary revenue stream through distribution and resale of survival, safety, and rescue equipment from world-leading manufacturers to commercial aviation, maritime, offshore, defense, and emergency services sectors in Norwegian and Scandinavian markets.
2. Technical Services and Support: Customer support, technical consultation, and ongoing service relationships with defense and government customers requiring specialist survival equipment knowledge and procurement assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Aviation and Survival Support AS distributes and supplies aviation, maritime, and defense survival and safety equipment on an exclusive basis across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The company serves as authorized regional distributor for global manufacturers including Survitec, Gecko Head Gear, Tiger Performance, East/West Industries, and Capewell Aerial Systems, supplying survival breathing apparatus, marine safety helmets, personal locator beacons, distress signals, inflatable training systems, gunner belts, and integrated medical modules. The company supplements product distribution with technical consultation and after-sales support tailored to defense, aviation, maritime/offshore, and emergency services customers.

Product overview

Aviation and Survival Support AS is a distributor and supplier of survival and safety equipment serving commercial aviation, maritime/offshore, defense industry, and emergency services in Norwegian and Scandinavian markets. The product portfolio centers on five main categories: (1) Inflatables including life rafts, lifejackets, and defense-grade inflatable equipment; (2) Search & Rescue equipment including Personal Locator Beacons (sMRT series, Crewsafe), distress signals (flares, smoke markers), survival breathing apparatus (EBS Series, HEED 3), marine safety helmets (Gecko series), and exposure lights; (3) Clothing and protective gear including immersion suits, flotation suits, and specialized gloves; (4) Helmets and Communications including aviation helmets and communication systems; (5) Fire & Rescue and Fall Arrest equipment. The company serves as authorized distributor for multiple international manufacturers including Survitec, Gecko Head Gear, Tiger Performance, East/West Industries, and Capewell Aerial Systems. Key product lines include the EBS Series survival breathing apparatus (3000 and 4500 SBA/CU2 models), sMRT Personal Locator Beacons, Gecko Marine Safety Helmets (Open Face, Full Face, Cut Away), HEED 3 emergency egress devices, and the Inflatable Walls Training System for military and law enforcement CQB training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EBS Series 4500 SBA/CU2 - CE Self-contained emergency bailout breathing apparatus designed for aviation, marine, and land crew operations near water hazards. Features composite cylinder technology providing 33% more breathing capacity than 3000 PSI systems; CE-marked and certified to EN4856-2023 and EN250-2014 standards.
• EBS Series 3000 SBA/CU2 Lightweight, compact survival breathing apparatus designed for emergency bailout breathing for air crew and passengers flying over water. Available in multiple cylinder sizes.
• HEED 3 (Helicopter Emergency Egress Device) Compact, lightweight self-contained breathing apparatus designed to increase survivability of military and commercial personnel in short-term out-of-air emergencies. Available in 200, 175, and 300 series; over 350,000 units sold worldwide and tested and approved by the US Navy.
• Gecko Open Face Marine Safety Helmet Lightweight marine safety helmet originally developed for the RNLI with patented inflatable liner for custom fit. Meets PAS 028:2002 standard and is compatible with various communication systems.
• Gecko Full Face Marine Safety Helmet Marine safety helmet with full face protection for chin and frontal impacts. Made from Kevlar, Carbon, and GRP composite shell; designed for personal watercraft users.
• Gecko Cut Away Marine Safety Helmet Marine safety helmet with cut-away side sections allowing ear defenders to be worn. Meets PAS 028:2002 and EN352-3 standards. Weight 620g, size 57-62cm.
• sMRT SHIELD Next-generation 406MHz and AIS Personal Locator Beacon with Water Activation and Return Link Service (RLS) for distress alerting and position tracking.
• Crewsafe V200 Submarine-specific Personal Locator Beacon that transmits GPS coordinates via AIS, VHF DSC, and VHF voice message to pinpoint crew location.
• sMRT V100x / V100 Distress alert and position update device transmitting via AIS and VHF DSC technologies. Available in V100x and V100 models.
• sMRT AU10 Series Flight-approved AIS Personal Locator Beacon that automatically alerts on 121.5MHz within 2-5 seconds and tracks casualties via AIS. Available in AU10-HT, AU10-X, and AU10 models.
• Inflatable Walls Training System (IWTS) Rapidly deployable and scalable CQB (Close Quarter Battle) training environment system. Used globally by militaries and law enforcement; approved for use with Simunition FTX marker rounds.
• Integrated Medical Module (Medmodule) Medical evacuation module for Survitec boats enabling rapid extraction and comprehensive mobile treatment. Contains diagnostics, oxygen, defibrillation, ECG, and pediatric equipment.
• Gunner Belts Wide, reinforced lumbar support belt designed to keep users secured inside helicopters during open door operations. Made from MIL-SPEC webbing (MIL-W-4088); certified to EN358:2000.
• Adjustable Lanyard w/ Click Lock Adjustable safety lanyard made from MIL-SPEC webbing with click lock mechanism. Connects to gunner belt or hoist for user security during helicopter open door operations.
• Exposure Lights High-powered LED search lights with patented MOB (Man Overboard) Technology. Features water-activated strobe and floating capability; available in MOB Carbon and RAW XS models.
• Day & Night Distress Signal MK8 Compact handheld distress signal combining red flare and orange smoke in a rugged, water-resistant case for day or night use when rescue services are sighted. Flare burns 20 seconds at 15,000cd.
• Personal Distress Signal (Miniflare MK8) Personal distress signal kit containing 9 red aerial flare cartridges and penjector firing mechanism. Burns 5+ seconds at 10,000 candela, reaching 50 meters altitude.
• Para Red Rocket MK8A Parachute rocket flare conforming to SOLAS 74/88. Ejects red flare at 300m altitude burning for 40 seconds at 30,000 candela; designed for harsh environments and water immersion.
• Manoverboard MK9 Compact lifebuoy marker featuring 15 minutes of dense orange smoke and self-activated LED lighting; exceeds SOLAS requirements. Height 375mm, weight 3.3kg.
• Lifesmoke MK8 Lifebuoy marker producing dense orange smoke for a minimum of 3 minutes for position marking during rescue operations. Conforms to SOLAS 74/88; safe for use on oil or petrol covered water.
• Buoysmoke MK9 Compact lifebuoy marker producing dense orange smoke for 15 minutes. Required for USA and Japanese flag vessels requiring 15-hour lifebuoy lights.
• Fast Jet Flight Garments New fast jet flight garments delivered to a customer, representing a successful first delivery milestone for aviation aircrew clothing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products certified to meet European Council directive 89/686, EN358:2000, EN4856-2023, EN250-2014, PAS 028:2002 standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025Significant framework contract awarded October 9, 2025 for defense materiel supply. FMV is the Swedish government agency responsible for defense material procurement and support.
• Capewell Aerial SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 June 2025Distribution agreement for Capewell Aerial Systems products. Capewell specializes in aerial delivery systems and survival equipment for military applications.
• East/West IndustriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2024Exclusive distribution/reseller agreement signed February 1, 2024. Aviation and Survival Support appointed to market and distribute E/W aviation safety and survival equipment, including aircraft seating systems, in all Nordic countries and the Netherlands. E/W Industries is a global leader with over five decades of experience in designing and manufacturing aircraft seating and safety equipment for military fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
• Survitec GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing distribution partnership for Survitec products including inflatable walls, boats, life jackets, life rafts, and integrated medical modules. Survitec is a world-leading manufacturer of survival equipment.
• Gecko Head GearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distribution for Gecko marine safety helmets and accessories. Products developed with RNLI input and used by Royal Air Force, UK Police, and MOD. Features patented inflatable liner technology.
• Tiger Performance ProductscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of Tiger Performance survival breathing apparatus (SBA) and flight equipment including EBS Series 3000 and 4500 systems. Products certified to EN4856-2023 and EN250-2014 standards.
• LIFT Airborne TechnologiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of LIFT aviation helmets and head protection systems. LIFT specializes in next-generation fixed wing flight helmets for Department of Defense applications.
• Pains Wessex (Maritime Surviva)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of Pains Wessex distress signals, flares, and pyrotechnics including Buoysmoke, Lifesmoke, Manoverboard, and Personal Distress Signal products.
• Submersible SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of HEED 3 (Helicopter Emergency Egress Device) compact self-contained breathing apparatus. Over 350,000 units sold worldwide, tested and approved by US Navy.
• Forsvars- og sikkerhetsindustriens forening (FSI)minorOthersMember of Norwegian Defence and Security Industry Association since August 21, 2024. FSI is an independent interest organization for companies with business interests in defense and security industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dräger Safety: Global manufacturer of safety and respiratory protection equipment for fire, maritime, defense, and industrial customers. Comparable as an incumbent safety equipment supplier serving defense, emergency services, and aviation end-markets.
• MSA Safety: Global safety equipment manufacturer producing respiratory protection, helmets, fall protection, and gas detection for industrial and defense markets. Comparable as a broad safety equipment incumbent serving defense and emergency services customers.
• RFD Beaufort: Manufacturer of marine life rafts, survival equipment, and military personal protective gear with global operations. Comparable as a major survival equipment incumbent competing for the same government, defense, and aviation customers as A-SS distributes to.
• Viking Life-Saving Equipment: Danish-headquartered global manufacturer of marine and offshore life-saving equipment including life rafts, immersion suits, and evacuation systems. Directly comparable product portfolio serving overlapping Nordic, maritime, and offshore customers.
• Avon Protection: UK-based manufacturer of respiratory protection, ballistic protection, and maritime safety equipment for military and first-responder markets. Comparable as a specialist in aircrew and special operations survival and respiratory safety equipment.
• Survitec Group: Global survival solutions manufacturer and A-SS's largest distribution partner, producing life rafts, life jackets, inflatable boats, and the IWTS training system. Operates across the full survival equipment stack worldwide and serves as both supplier and broader incumbent in the same product categories.

Emerging players

• Mustang Survival: Manufacturer of marine and aviation survival equipment including flotation suits, life jackets, and inflatable life vests. Comparable as a focused survival equipment specialist serving defense, aviation, and maritime customers in overlapping product categories.
• East/West Industries: US-based manufacturer of aircraft seating and crew safety equipment for military fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, with over five decades of experience. A-SS is their exclusive Nordic distributor; comparable as an upstream partner in the same aviation safety equipment supply chain.

Direct peers

• Hansen Protection: Norwegian manufacturer of immersion suits, survival suits, and personal protective equipment for maritime, offshore, and defense markets. Directly comparable as a Norway-headquartered specialist in survival and protective equipment serving the same aviation, maritime, and defense customer base.

Regional players

• Helly Hansen Workwear: Norwegian workwear and protective clothing company serving maritime, offshore, and defense sectors with technical garments. Comparable as a Norway-based specialist serving the same maritime and defense end-customers with adjacent clothing and protective equipment categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aviation-and-survival-support-as

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Aviation and Survival Support AS