NFM Group said the decision represents the largest combat helmet procurement in recent European military history. The company said the award reflects its long-term strategy to invest in technology, competence, production capacity and a strong European footprint.
“NFM Group has developed into an international organisation with centres of excellence across Europe, giving us the industrial strength, technology and production capacity needed to deliver advanced protection at scale. Supplying combat helmets to the German Armed Forces is a major milestone for us, and an important contribution to European defence readiness in today’s geopolitical situation,” says Walter Øverland CEO of NFM Group.
The helmet has been developed with a focus on the end user. NFM Group said Hexonia worked closely with the needs of the modern soldier to meet demanding technical requirements while delivering comfort, fit and stability for operational use.
A central element in production is FREC-2, NFM Group’s proprietary ballistic pressing and composite manufacturing technology. The technology uses isostatic pressure of up to 1,000 bar to produce durable and lightweight ballistic plates and helmet shells.
“By combining FREC-2™ pressing technology with many years of experience in helmet development from the NFM HJELM™ 4th Generation Combat Helmet and the Hexonia TRIVIUM Helmet System, we have now succeeded in developing our first combat helmet for the entire armed forces – a helmet that meets the requirements of a modern military,” says Tor Inge Thun, CPO and Managing Director of NFM Technology. The company said the helmet builds on experience from earlier systems developed within the group.
The order reflects the combined technical and industrial competence of Hexonia GmbH, NFM Poland and NFM Technology in Norway. NFM Group said the contract also shows the value of cross-border collaboration inside the organisation.
Hexonia began developing combat helmets in 2020. Since 2022, it has equipped the German Special Forces, known as KSK, with the Special Forces Helmet System, Helmsystem Spezialkräfte.
The company said the new helmet was developed after further investment in advanced manufacturing technologies. It is tailored to the Bundeswehr’s current needs and specifications.
NFM Technology’s research and development expertise in Norway played an important role in moving the helmet from development towards production. NFM Poland, described as the group’s leading ballistic manufacturing base, helped bring the helmet to production readiness and will support the industrial capacity required for a project of this scale.
“Winning this major helmet contract in Germany stand as a testament to our daily work, which is characterised by intensive cross-border collaboration within the NFM Group. As the Centre of Excellence for helmets within the NFM Group, Hexonia took the lead in driving the development of the new combat helmet for the German Armed Forces and incorporated technical expertise across NFM business units.”
“A project success like this can only be the result of teamwork. We are proud to be trusted with this contract, earned through synergies within the NFM Group,” says Nils Toverud, Deputy CEO of NFM Group.
NFM Group said the contract is an important milestone for the company. It said the award strengthens its ability to continue investing in technology, production capacity and resources across the organisation.
The company said the programme supports its continued work to deliver protective solutions for modern armed forces. It also reinforces Hexonia’s role as NFM Group’s centre of excellence for helmets.
