About APCO Aviation · official representation

APCO Defense Europe is your
representation in Europe.

APCO Defense Europe is the official representation for APCO in Europe. We bring the systems into your programme: from the first requirement through quotation and the paperwork for export, customs and end use, to delivery and lifecycle support. We develop and build them in our facility in Israel.

Our facility

APCO Aviation

Caesarea, Israel · apcodefense.com

Development and manufacture of the systems
Qualification, testing and certificates
Holder of the approvals and the brand
Technical release of every configuration

Our representation

APCO Defense Europe

Europe

Local contact, in your language and time zone
Requirements definition and quotation
Preparing and accompanying the paperwork for export, customs and end use
Delivery and lifecycle support; training and repair at our facility in Israel, arranged and accompanied from Europe

Continue to the systems, to the servicesalong the development cycle, or straight toall products, platforms and operating environments.

One contact in Europe

System design, quotation and delivery.

A recovery system is not bought off a catalog page. It is sized around platform, payload, deployment envelope and operating environment, and that route runs through export law, end-use control, customs and qualification evidence. That is exactly where we work: translating between your procurement and our engineering at the facility — technically, linguistically and in regulatory terms.

Our history · since 1974

Over 50 years of development in lightweight flight.

APCO Aviation Defense develops systems for the defense, aerospace and security sectors. The division draws on APCO Aviation’s experience in lightweight flight.

The division develops textile systems — from UAV recovery parachutes and high-speed deployment systems to ballistic airbags and custom decelerators. The systems are designed for the specified recovery or protection task.

APCO Aviation is an Israeli company based in the Caesarea Industrial Park and an authorised supplier to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Development, design and production sit under one roof, from raw material to finished product — with serial production in Israel, multi-layer CO₂ laser cutting and precise aviation-grade sewing.

APCO Aviation was founded in 1974. Development began with hang gliders and ultralights, followed by paragliders, paramotors and powered parachutes (PPC).

In the late 1970s, APCO Aviation introduced the Mayday parachute — the first commercially available reserve parachute for free flight. Originally a military-grade round canopy, the Mayday evolved into a full range of certified rescue parachutes in multiple sizes and configurations, trusted by tens of thousands of pilots worldwide.

Aerodynamic engineering, textile development and manufacturing take place at our facility in Israel.

Recovery and airdrop

What we develop and build.

Ram-air parachutes and steerable gliding canopies for controlled descent
Square or cruciform canopies for cargo and UAV recovery
Round canopies (conical/biconical) with optional apex pull-down
High-speed deployment systems with reefing or sliders to reduce opening shock
A full range of off-the-shelf emergency parachutes across a wide span of payload capacities
Inflatable airbags for high-value UAVs, drones and loitering munitions
Ballistic parachute deployment systems for VTOL air taxis and other fast-opening or low-height parachute needs
Custom-built textile solutions for aerospace, defense and industrial needs

Full development cycle

From requirement to a tested prototype.

Testing, serial production and support after delivery are covered in detail under the services.

Three people discuss a small orange parachute sample at a table; overlay reads “50 Years of High-End Aerodynamics”

Defining requirements

Every project begins with a clear understanding of mission objectives. Together with the partner, payload parameters, aerodynamic targets, environmental conditions and operational constraints are identified, so the foundation of each system is aligned with performance goals, budget and timeline.

Designing the system

Our engineering team combines aerodynamic modelling, structural analysis and advanced textile expertise to design the system for the specified mission. Drawing on decades of proven experience from projects worldwide, each parameter is evaluated — from deployment altitude and speed to payload weight and environmental conditions.

Partners are presented with multiple solution paths, each with its own advantages and trade-offs. A ram-air canopy, for example, provides excellent steerability and glide range, while a round or cruciform parachute delivers simplicity, strength and cost-effectiveness. Likewise, inflatable airbags or ballistic deployment systems can be selected depending on whether the priority is fast reaction time, lightweight design or reusability.

Laser cutting head cutting fabric, with the caption "All in-house"

Creating a prototype

With in-house production and a full range of raw materials in stock, we turn concepts into working prototypes with short turnaround times. Laser cutting, precision stitching and advanced textile assembly make it possible to build and test multiple configurations rapidly when required.

Each prototype undergoes testing and validation to compare the solution options and identify the best match for the mission. Serial production begins only after this stage.

What procurement asks first.

Who builds the systems, and who looks after them in Europe?

We build, qualify and certify them in our facility in Israel. In Europe your contact is APCO Defense Europe, our official representation. We define the requirement together with you, run the project and support the system throughout its service life.

Who is the contracting party?

The contract is concluded with our facility in Israel: APCO Aviation supplies the system and carries technical responsibility. In Europe we manage the account — requirement, quotation, documents, delivery and support run through APCO Defense Europe. Your contact stays the same, in your language and time zone.

Why a dedicated contact in Europe?

Because more sits between a requirement and a delivery than an order: system sizing, export and end-use controls, customs, documentation in your own language, and support after delivery. We handle those steps in Europe — with one contact instead of a time difference. Technical responsibility rests with our facility in Israel.

Which markets does APCO Defense Europe cover?

Europe. The focus is the EU plus Switzerland, Norway and the rest of the EEA. There everything runs through us: requirement, quotation, documentation, delivery, support. We also take up an enquiry from outside Europe and assess it; whether and by which route delivery is possible depends on classification, end use and the approval of the exporting state.

Who holds the certificates and approvals?

APCO Aviation. Certificates, qualification evidence and test documentation come from our facility in Israel. We make them available within the project, map them to your procurement requirements point by point and in your language, and request any missing evidence directly from our facility.

What if a tender requires a domestic contracting party?

Where a tender requires a contracting party in your own country, raise it with us early. Whether a project can be shaped that way we examine case by case, and we tell you the outcome before you build your documents on it. Our commitment rests on that examination.

Define a project

Bring the requirement.
We take care of the route.

Start a technical conversation

APCO Defense Europe is yourrepresentation in Europe.