In line with continued growth in North America and increased exposure for the new NIJ 4030 ELITE Bomb Disposal Suit, NP Aerospace has been a committed member of the U.S. Bomb Technicians Association (USBTA) since April 2022. The USBTA mission is to bring together operators, academics and equipment suppliers to share resources, establish best practice and improve public safety.
NP Aerospace continues to broaden its EOD capabilities and drive improvements in bomb disposal technology, participating in several USBTA events across the United States since becoming a member. Most recently, NP Aerospace demonstrated the 3020 ELITE and 4030 ELITE EOD suits at 2025 Technology and Bombing Preventions Summit and was also involved in the Critical Skills Challenge; a contest to determine this year‘s top individual bomb technician. For the competition which took place near Tampa, Florida, Siti Pareti and Michael Lovell from the NP Aerospace North America team supported on the bomb suit search lane – a timed element of the competition designed to challenge bomb technicians in realistic training scenarios while wearing a bomb suit. Set in a darkened environment, techs were tasked with locating IEDs and bomb making materials in a residential building, under controlled testing conditions. The challenging exercise highlighted the unrivalled flexibility of the NIJ certified NP Aerospace 4030 ELITE Bomb Suit by allowing the operator to search thoroughly from floor to ceiling. NP Aerospace also debuted a prototype of its newly enhanced EOD helmet at the event, which exceeded expectations and received positive feedback from all participants. The XPro’s unique fitment design, comfort and integrated ancillaries aided each operator completing the task.
In August, NP Aerospace participated in the National Robot Rodeo (NRR) in Colorado. The focus of NNR is pairing Unmanned Systems (UxS) capabilities and supporting technologies with the operational community in real-world scenarios. NP was represented by Siti Pareti and Michael Lovell and the NIJ Certified 4030 ELITE Bomb Suit was showcased at the event. Providing enhanced protection and ergonomic excellence, the 4030 ELITE is one of only two suits in the world to have achieved this level of accreditation and is being specified for its ability to deliver optimum blast and fragmentation protection.
Siti Pareti and Michael Lovell also attended the Operation Emerald Coast USBTA event held at Hurlburt Field, Florida, earlier this year. The NP Aerospace team demonstrated the 4030 ELITE in a realistic training scenario, allowing attendees to witness first-hand the customisability and exceptional flexibility of the class leading suit.
At the Hurlburt Field event, Siti Pareti, EOD Business Development Manager of NP Aerospace delivered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Disruption lesson on the clearance of a Vehicle Borne IED. Formerly an Advanced EOD Operator with the British Army, Siti brings valuable insight and a contribution that supports the company’s commitment to providing not only equipment that can be relied upon when it matters most, but also the necessary capabilities for effective operations and enhanced safety.
Siti Pareti, NP Aerospace Business Development Manager (EOD) comments: “Our partnership with USBTA is invaluable to our business. It allows us to work directly with the U.S. EOD and first responder community, providing access to a wealth of product user feedback. We are proud to share our knowledge and experience from over 20 years of EOD suit development working with many global defence organisations including the UK MOD. Participation in USBTA events strengthens our mission to improve and protect lives.”