Service personnel across the British Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy will receive advanced respirators, thanks to a contract worth up to £38 million awarded to Avon Protection by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), according to a press release.
The four-year deal, which includes five additional one-year options, ensures the continued supply and support of General Service Respirators (GSRs).
Avon Protection, a leader in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) personal protective equipment, will maintain the production from their factory in Melksham, Wiltshire.
“We welcome the award of this contract, which will ensure continued support of the respiratory protection available to our Armed Forces. We have worked with Avon Protection on supporting GSR for the past six years and look forward to continuing this relationship, offering high levels of protection to our troops across the world,” said Richard Bloomfield, DE&S Head of CBRN.
Since the initial contract in 2018, Avon Protection has supplied nearly 100,000 GSRs to UK MOD users. The new agreement ensures the UK’s protection capability remains sovereign through domestic production, research, and development.
Steve Elwell, President of Avon Protection, expressed pride in securing the contract. “We are proud to have secured this new contract with the UK MOD, reaffirming our commitment to providing sovereign capability and unparalleled protection for those who tirelessly defend our nation. We remain dedicated to delivering excellence so our protectors can complete their mission and come home safely, every time.”
Designed and manufactured to the UK MOD’s specifications, the twin-canister, single-visor GSRs provide high-performance filtration protection for users in CBRN threat environments.
Jos Sclater, Chief Executive Officer of Avon Protection plc, highlighted the importance of the contract. “This award demonstrates the strength of our technology and our commitment to protecting those who protect us by providing a world-leading sovereign CBRN protection capability from our facility in Wiltshire. As we have seen with the reported deployment of chemical agents in Ukraine and in other recent conflicts, the highest grade CBRN protection is critical to operational capability for warfighters in the evolving reality of near-peer, hybrid warfare.”
The GSR is a fantastic bit of kit no doubts. However the Avon FM53 is a superior model.
In what way?
NBC stocks should definitely be invested in. No time like the present.
Are there two types of rezzie on issue?
The numbers don’t add up.
Everyone should be on GSR. I swapped from my (second issued) S10 to GSR a year before I left the RN. They will have a lifex date. You have to replace the whole thing due to the age and deterioration of the rubber over time.