Chelton LIMITED

Chelton LIMITED, operating through its Cobham Aerospace Connectivity Division and based in Marlow, United Kingdom, supplies aircraft antennas, signal converters, intercom systems, and related aerospace components to the federal government as both a prime contractor (55% of recent awards) and subcontractor (45%) on defense and homeland security platforms. The company is a for-profit international organization with no SBA set-asides; all awards are full-and-open, unrestricted procurements, frequently sole-source to Chelton as the original equipment manufacturer holding proprietary technical data and FAA 145 repair certifications.

Chelton's customer base is concentrated in defense aviation and ground combat systems. The Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard leads by award count with 42 awards valued at $2.2 million combined potential value, reflecting Chelton's role as the exclusive supplier of antennas, V/UHF logic controls, and related components for HC-27J, HC-130J, HC-144, and MH-60T rotorcraft. The Department of the Army Materiel Command Communications Electronics Command anchors the highest-value segment with 6 awards carrying $8.8 million combined potential value, driven by two large Foreign Military Sales intercom contracts—a $6.2 million VIC-3 definitive contract for Poland (completed) and an $815 thousand VIC-5 TACG2 contract for Estonia (completed). Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime and Defense Logistics Agency Aviation hold the second and fourth positions by dollar value, with $6.1 million and $4.3 million in combined potential value respectively, centered on antenna and signal converter procurements. The Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command represents 13 awards valued at $3 million and anchors repair and procurement of specialized antennas and converters. The Department of the Air Force Space Command Space and Missile Systems Center holds a single $5.8 million award. Together, the top five customer agencies by dollar value account for 91% of combined potential value.

Chelton sits on five named indefinite delivery contracts: Air Force contract FA852621D0001 with 22 task orders (no specific value provided), Army contract W56HZV22D0083 with 9 task orders, Army contract W15P7T23D0003 with 3 task orders, Air Force contract FA863417D2696 with 2 task orders, and Army contract W58RGZ18D0001 with 2 task orders. The company's recent award activity shows significant volatility—growing from 12 awards in 2022 to a peak of 50 in 2024, then declining to 34 in 2025 and 11 through August 2026. Eight awards reaching completion in the next twenty-four months carry combined potential value of $2.6 million, presenting moderate recompete exposure.

In its subcontractor role, Chelton delivers specialized components to major defense primes on high-value programs: The Boeing Company (C-17 Globemaster III sustainment, F-15 MUOS/Saturn systems, and CMV-22 production), BAE Systems Land & Armaments (Bradley A4 vehicle production and related systems support), Bell Textron and Bell Boeing Joint Project Office (V-22 and CMV-22 antenna and logic converter systems), Lockheed Martin (M270A2 multiple launch rocket system and ECP implementation), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (MQ-1C Gray Eagle GPS anti-jam systems), Leidos (tactical control and operator station components), and Sierra Nevada Company (aircraft antenna systems). Recent sub awards span multiple calendar years, with the highest concentration on Boeing C-17 sustainment orders placed in 2024 and 2025.

Award characterization by category reveals Chelton's deep specialization: other aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing dominates with 41 awards, followed by aircraft manufacturing (37 awards), military armored vehicle and tank components (13 awards), and other support activities for air transportation (14 awards). The primary service code is antennas, waveguides, and related equipment (34 awards), with secondary categories including maintenance and repair of aircraft components (10 awards), miscellaneous communication equipment (5 awards), and electrical and electronic assemblies (5 awards). Pricing across awards is uniformly firm-fixed-price on purchase orders and definitive contracts, with sole-source justifications citing FAR 25.103(b)(1) nonavailability exceptions and original equipment manufacturer proprietary data as standard rationales. Recent representative prime awards include a $4.2 million Defense Logistics Agency Aviation signal converter definitive contract (April 2025), a $1.76 million Naval Supply Systems Command antenna procurement (April 2025), a $310 thousand Defense Logistics Agency antenna purchase order (November 2025), and recurring Coast Guard antenna and repair orders ranging from $5 thousand to $77 thousand across the 2024–2026 period. The obligated-to-potential-value ratio of 195% indicates significant contract modifications and exercised options, typical of firm-fixed-price component supply arrangements.