Our journey:
We invite you to explore the milestones that shaped our journey
2023 marked a significant milestone as Aviation and Survival Support celebrated 20 years in the industry. As we reflect on the past two decades, we look ahead with the same commitment and ambition — ready for the next twenty years.
- 2003
Founded in Norway
Svein H. Johansen founds Aviation and Survival Support as a component supplier to the aviation and defence industries.
- 2005
First defence contract
Secured our first defence contract — survival suits and avionics exchange programmes for Norwegian operators.
- 2008
Pivot to life support
Responded to the financial crisis by shifting focus from aviation parts to life-support equipment — 90% of the business reoriented.
- 2009
Survitec partnership
Became distributor for Survitec Group in Norway and Denmark — a relationship that still shapes our portfolio today.
- 2010
Rebrand and custom engineering
Renewed submarine fleet contracts, rebranded the company, and designed a custom rescue suit for the 330 Squadron.
- 2014
Maintenance partnerships
Added long-term maintenance agreements with LT Tech and the Norwegian Air Ambulance service.
- 2017
Contracts renewed
Submarine fleet contracts and Norwegian Air Ambulance service agreements renewed — continued trust from demanding operators.
- 2018
LYNX and emergency services
Expanded into the emergency services sector and launched LYNX — our own protective clothing line.
- 2021
New home, new border
Moved to a larger facility in Barkåker Industrial Area, and opened a Swedish branch office in Uppsala.
- 2022
F-35 and new partners
Won the F-35 pilot clothing contract with Survitec, secured Swedish defence contracts, and partnered with C2 Vertical Safety and Bristow SAR.
- 2023
Twenty years on
Two decades of delivering lifesaving equipment to aviation, maritime, defence and emergency services.
Moments that mattered
Three turning points that shaped the company
Behind every year on the timeline is a decision, a contract or a crisis that changed the direction of the company. These are three of the most defining.
Pivot to life support
When the financial crisis hit, 90% of our business was aircraft parts and 10% was life support. Within two years we had flipped those numbers — refocusing on survival equipment and technical services for operators that could not afford equipment failure. The decision reshaped the company and set the direction for the next fifteen years.
A larger home, and a second one
We moved into a purpose-built facility at Barkåker Industrial Park — more warehouse, more service capacity, better logistics to Torp Airport. In the same year we opened a Swedish branch in Uppsala, putting our team closer to Nordic defence and emergency-service customers. Two doors in two countries, one standard of service.
F-35 and the trust that comes with it
Winning the F-35 pilot clothing contract with Survitec was the clearest signal yet that two decades of quality work had compounded. The same year brought Swedish defence contracts and a partnership with C2 Vertical Safety — confirmation that our standards travel across borders and mission profiles.
What drives us
The principles we work from
Four commitments shape how we choose partners, design solutions and support customers — day in, day out.
01
Customer focus
We start with what the operator actually needs, not what is easiest to ship. Long-term trust is built on fit, not volume.
02
Safety first, always
Every product we select is measured against the situation it is meant for. If it does not hold up under pressure, it does not belong in our portfolio.
03
Responsibility to people and place
We take care of our employees, support the communities we operate in and work to reduce the environmental footprint of our logistics and service lines.
04
Continuous improvement
Equipment evolves, standards change, and operators learn. We review, adjust and upgrade — so the gear in the field keeps earning its place there.
A word from our founder
Twenty years in, the mission is the same as the day we started — to make sure the people who depend on this equipment can trust it completely. The next twenty years will ask even more of us, and we are ready for it.