About us
Slingsby Advanced Composites is a UK based, globally respected provider of advanced composite structures and complex sub-systems that meet the toughest engineering challenges across air, land and sea for both military and civil platforms. Our products address a wide range of structural and functional requirements of civil jet aircraft, military fast jet, UAV’s, air transport, ISR and helicopters, naval surface ships and submarines through to missile components and launchers.
Our state-of-the-art advanced composites facility in North Yorkshire has consistently been awarded top supplier status by long-standing customers, including Rolls-Royce and Lockheed Martin, for our ability to deliver on time and to the highest quality and safety standards.
Whether working from pre-defined user requirements or from a blank slate, few companies can match Slingsby’s depth of expertise and breadth of capabilities. Our NADCAP-accredited engineering team includes structural, composites, electrical, interior, integration, systems, stress, weight and fluid dynamics designers.
No matter how bespoke, complex or challenging their requirements, we take projects all the way from specification and design through to manufacturing, testing, qualification, integration and support. We are able to flexibly scale to meet project needs – whether producing a one-off prototype or thousands of units over a yearslong production run.
Advanced structures and composites facilities
We can offer the flexibility of services and products that meet a myriad of needs, using a broad range of materials and manufacturing techniques. Due to the investment in our Advanced composite manufacturing and assembly facility in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, we have a wide range of capabilities that enable us to combine the different product life cycle stages into a single programme, completely managed by our expert team.
Integrated Design Capabilities
From concept to CAD, our design team supports the entire development lifecycle. With expertise in systems design, tooling, and CATIA programming, we create robust, production-ready solutions tailored to your technical and operational requirements.
Advanced Composite Manufacturing
Our manufacturing capabilities combine traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies. We offer everything from CNC machining and 3D printing to filament winding, prepreg layups, and full mechanical and electrical assembly—ensuring precision at every step of production.
Complex Assembly & Integration
Our build team combines composite, mechanical, and electrical sub-systems into fully tested assemblies. In-house jigs, torque-controlled fastening, and functional checks ensure every component arrives flight-ready and “plug-and-play” for downstream installation.
Coating & Finishing
Our paint facility applies aerospace-grade coatings in controlled booths, delivering flawless finishes that shield against UV, chemicals, and abrasion. From precise surface prep to exact colour matching, we guarantee durable, specification-compliant aesthetics for every part.
Advanced Non-Destructive Testing
Our NDT Team is certified to EN4179 and uses a variety of techniques such as Ultrasonic Phased Array and Bond Test to confirm internal integrity without cutting the product. Integrated into production, these inspections catch defects as early as possible and validate compliance with demanding Aerospace and Defence standards.
Certified Inspection & Testing
We integrate rigorous testing into every stage of the product lifecycle. Our inspection processes ensure every structure is compliant, fully certified, and functionally sound—giving you confidence in performance, durability, and delivery.
Submarine structures
Slingsby Advanced Composites produce a range of lightweight, damage-resistant composite submarine structures including rudders, hydroplanes, sonar housings and periscope fairings.
Engineered to withstand the extremes of an undersea operating environment, our structures are corrosion-resistant, giving them increased durability and resulting in reduced through-life cost. They are able to last extended periods of time in a saltwater environment.
We also ensure suitability for reduced acoustic signatures and radar cross-section using integrated technologies.
Aircraft trim panels
Composite cabin trim panels offer a cost-effective means of significantly extending an aircraft’s capabilities. However, they can only be produced by experts due to their intricate, multi-part designs, complex production processes and demanding requirements in aircraft assembly and operation.
Slingsby Advanced Composites is known for our ability to design, manufacture, test, certify and integrate lightweight, robust trim panels – in fact, our panels are fitted into every single C-130J aircraft leaving Lockheed Martin’s production line in Marietta, Georgia.
Floating decoy launch tubes
Since 2012, Slingsby Advanced Composites and IrvinGQ have successfully provided the Royal Navy, US Navy and other international customers with decoy systems, delivering potent distraction and confusion solutions that offer surface protection against anti-ship missiles.
Through our range of composite processing techniques, we manufacture the launcher tube structures used to deploy decoy equipment.
Advanced structures and composites facility
Our advanced composite facility in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, sits at the core of our business. Continuous investment brings design, production and testing under one roof, streamlining the full product lifecycle. From prototype to full build, every stage is handled in-house by our expert team. We use diverse composite processes to deliver high-performance components for demanding aerospace and defence applications.
Our 12,000 m² Kirkbymoorside site integrates advanced composite manufacturing, mechanical and electrical assembly, tooling and inspection, and uses secure logistics links to deliver performance-critical components to aerospace, defence and marine customers worldwide.
Testimonials
Across aerospace, defence, and marine programmes, leading primes trust Slingsby Advanced Composites for quality, reliability, and on-time delivery. Here’s what our partners say about working with us.
“Lockheed Martin and Slingsby Advanced Composites have a long-standing relationship rooted in the Super Hercules global fleet. This contract provides us all with the opportunity to expand our pivotal partnership while supporting the worldwide C-130J operator community.”
Tom Baxter
Director of Supply Chain, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions, Lockheed Martin
“We are pleased to award the contract to develop and build the optronic masts for Dreadnought to Slingsby Advanced Composites, a longstanding Thales supplier with outstanding technological capabilities and exemplary consistency of delivery.”
“We look forward to progressing this programme with Slingsby Advanced Composites as we deliver capabilities for the new Dreadnought class and Royal Navy.”
Richard French
Sea Business Sector Director at Thales in the UK,
Ready to discuss your composite programme?
Schedule a technical consultation to explore materials, processes and qualification for your platform.
Our Leadership Team
At Slingsby Advanced Composites, our leadership team brings together decades of experience across aerospace, defence, engineering, and advanced manufacturing. With a shared commitment to innovation, precision, and quality, they lead a talented team of over 130 employees dedicated to delivering mission-critical composite solutions to clients around the world.
Mark Brixey
Managing Director
Stephen Brough
Head of Operations
Colin Jones
Head of Sales & Business Development
Chris Robinson
Finance Director
Paul Ansell
HEAD of Engineering & NPI
Dave Claridge
Head of Quality
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Slingsby Advanced Composites LTD