GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems Inc.

GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems Inc., operating as its Defense Business Line Division, is a foreign-owned manufacturer of aircraft windows, windshields, canopies, and related transparency components that supplies the Department of Defense as a prime contractor (94% of recent awards) and as a subcontractor to major defense primes. The company competes on full-and-open basis with no set-aside designations across its federal award portfolio and is headquartered in Garden Grove, California, where it performs substantially all manufacturing work.

The vendor's federal footprint centers on aircraft transparency supply to DLA Aviation and related defense logistics buyers. GKN holds three single-award Indefinite Delivery Contracts with DLA Aviation with a combined potential value of approximately $3.9 million, which serve as the primary vehicle for ongoing procurement of heated windshield panels, window panels, and canopy transparencies. Recent representative prime awards include a $1.24 million definitive contract from DLA Aviation for CH-53 helicopter windshield panels (awarded July 2022, completing December 2024); an $808,080 definitive contract for 37 aircraft windshield panels (awarded September 2023); a $445,815 purchase order for miscellaneous aircraft components (awarded April 2022); and a $409,640 purchase order for 22 windshield panels (awarded March 2023). Delivery orders under the IDCs range from $18,540 to $116,496 for discrete window and windshield panel shipments. The most recent awards (May 2026) include a $387,200 purchase order for 44 aircraft window panels and a $5,000 order for windshield installation kits, both to complete by mid-2026 through mid-2029.

Customer concentration sits almost entirely with Department of Defense aviation logistics. DLA Aviation accounts for 430 awards ($86.5 million combined potential value) and DLA broadly for 299 awards ($25.2 million combined potential value), representing the top two customers by both count and dollars. The top five customers by award count cover 76% of all awards and include the Department of the Air Force, Department of the Navy, and Navy Air Systems Command. The top five by dollar value account for 86% of combined potential value and are led by DLA Aviation and DLA, followed by Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command, Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Sustainment Center, and Army Materiel Command. GKN's customer footprint is heavily concentrated within defense aviation sustainment and parts supply.

GKN places task orders under five primary parent vehicles: a Basic Ordering Agreement (F4160883G0038) with 26 task orders; IDC SPM4A713D0031 (25 task orders, $1.7 million combined potential value); IDC N0038393D008D (22 task orders); IDC F0960303D0027 (17 task orders, $1.4 million combined potential value); and IDC SPE4A722D0113 (16 task orders, $352 thousand combined potential value). These vehicles anchor GKN's DLA Aviation relationship and enable recurring procurement of transparency components.

Activity has grown substantially year over year, from 18 awards in 2022 to 68 in 2024, with 29 awards in 2023 and 18 in 2025. The 2026 activity remains early (three awards recorded as of May 2026). Over the broader award period captured in the source, GKN has received 1,539 total awards with a combined potential value of $142.9 million and combined obligated dollars of $362.5 million, indicating substantial invoice history exceeding the current pipeline ceiling.

GKN's subcontracting footprint is heavy and centers on F-35 and related modern military aircraft transparencies. GKN subcontracts to Lockheed Martin on F-35 long-lead canopy transparency procurement (multiple modifications through 2024 supporting LRIP lots 9–15 aircraft, including test coupons and canopy assembly work), to The Boeing Company on P-8A, F/A-18E, F-15EX, and Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization (VC-25B) windshield and transparency components under both standard procurement and long-lead material ordering, and to Sikorsky Aircraft on helicopter windshield assemblies and left-hand windshield parts. The subcontract work spans sustainment, modernization, and new-build aircraft transparency integration across Navy, Air Force, and Army platforms.

GKN's capability footprint is grounded almost entirely in aircraft transparency manufacturing. The top NAICS categories in the source are Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (445 awards) and Aircraft Manufacturing (172 awards), with Airframe Structural Components dominating the PSC taxonomy (1,197 awards) alongside Plastics Fabricated Materials (155 awards). The vendor supplies windows, windshields, heated panels, canopy assemblies, laminated sheets, and attachment kits—specialized components that support military aircraft sustainment worldwide. As a foreign-owned manufacturer competing on full-and-open basis without SBA set-aside participation, GKN relies on technical specialization, incumbent supply relationships, and established quality standing with DLA Aviation to anchor its federal market position.