Paradigm and Perfect Bore to Establish Gun Barrel Coating Facility in the UK

Author:

 Background: The Partnership

  • Who’s involved:
    • Paradigm Shift Technologies Inc. — a Toronto-based defence tech company specialising in advanced barrel coating technologies (notably EPVD® coatings). (Army Technology)
    • Perfect Bore Defence / Perfect Bore Manufacturing — a UK firm with expertise in precision gun barrel manufacturing. (Canadian Defence Review)
  • What they’re doing:
    Paradigm and Perfect Bore have formed a strategic partnership to establish a gun barrel coating facility in the United Kingdom. (Army Technology)
  • Purpose of the facility:
    • To apply EPVD® (Enhanced Physical Vapor Deposition) coatings to artillery barrels. (Army Technology)
    • These coatings are designed to extend barrel service life and improve performance compared with traditional coatings like chromium plating. (Army Technology)
    • The new facility aims to provide a domestic, sovereign capability for barrel coating — supporting both UK-produced and imported barrels. (Canadian Defence Review)
  • Why it’s notable:
    • EPVD technology is marketed as an environmentally compliant alternative to traditional chrome plating, which is increasingly restricted due to health and environmental regulations (e.g., in the EU). (Army Technology)
    • This coating solution supports the performance and sustainability goals of the UK Ministry of Defence as well as broader defence industry requirements. (Canadian Defence Review)

 What the Partners Have Said

Paradigm’s Perspective:

  • Paradigm’s COO, Eugene Yumshtyk, described the collaboration as combining world-class UK manufacturing with EPVD technology to redefine artillery barrel performance and establish “sovereign, next-generation artillery capabilities.” (Army Technology)

Perfect Bore’s Perspective:

  • Perfect Bore’s leadership has emphasised its commitment to supporting national defence capabilities and delivering premium, British-made firing systems that enhance user confidence and operational effectiveness. (Canadian Defence Review)

 Facility and Timeline Details

  • Location & Timeline:
    • As of the latest reporting, the companies have not publicly disclosed a specific physical location in the UK or an official start date for operations. (Army Technology)
    • Representatives from Paradigm and Perfect Bore are conducting ongoing project discussions, with several initiatives planned for implementation in 2026. (Army Technology)
  • Scope:
    • The facility is expected to coat both traditional and new-generation barrels produced by Perfect Bore and other sources. (Army Technology)
    • It will serve both defence and commercial sectors, aligning with regulatory requirements and environmental standards. (Army Technology)

 Strategic Context

This initiative fits into broader UK efforts to strengthen sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities — especially in gun barrel production and associated technologies.

  • The UK has been actively reestablishing domestic artillery and barrel manufacturing capabilities, with other defence industry investments underway (e.g., rifle and howitzer barrel production facilities). (Default)
  • This partnership also aligns with industry interest in modernising weapon system supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign coating and manufacturing services — especially those constrained by environmental or geopolitical factors. (aviation-defence-universe.com)

 Why It Matters

Operational & Industrial Benefits

  • Enhanced performance & life: EPVD coatings are intended to significantly improve barrel durability and operation under high-stress conditions compared to traditional coatings. (Army Technology)
  • Environmental compliance: The technology serves as an alternative to carcinogenic chrome plating, supporting compliance with EU/UK standards. (Army Technology)
  • Sovereign capability: Establishing domestic coating capability reduces dependence on overseas processing and strengthens UK defence industrial autonomy. (Canadian Defence Review)

Economic Impact

  • Potential creation of specialised jobs and advanced manufacturing roles in the UK. (Exact figures are not yet released by the companies.) (Army Technology)
  • May contribute to the UK’s broader industrial base in precision engineering and defence technology. (aviation-defence-universe.com)
    • In online technical discussions, engineers describe EPVD® as an advanced form of PVD that can uniformly coat the inside of barrels, unlike many traditional processes. This is important in high-wear environments such as artillery and medium-calibre guns. (Reddit)
    • A referenced military test — reportedly by Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC) in collaboration with the Canadian Army, Navy, and OEMs — claimed that EPVD® coatings provided significant performance benefits over chrome lining and nitriding in a 25 mm medium calibre system. According to comments in that discussion:
      • Chrome and nitrided barrels failed or degraded much sooner than EPVD-coated barrels.
      • The EPVD-coated barrel reportedly continued functioning with acceptable performance long after the competitors.
      • Claims suggest up to double barrel life over chrome plating under extreme conditions. (Reddit)

        Here are case studies and expert/community comments related to the Paradigm–Perfect Bore UK gun barrel coating facility and the underlying EPVD® coating technology — including how people in the industry are discussing performance, and any tests or practical examples tied to the technology and its application:

         Case Studies & Real-World Performance Evidence

         EPVD Technology Performance Claims (Defense & Testing Context)

        While Paradigm Shift Technologies hasn’t publicly released detailed third-party case studies for the UK facility yet, independent and community discussions reference military testing of EPVD® coatings:Important Note: These results largely come from community-shared information and marketing-related reports. Formal, published defence test data is proprietary and often subject to non-disclosure agreements, so independent verification is limited.

  •  Comments from Industry Leaders

     Paradigm & Perfect Bore Official Remarks

    In press commentary about the partnership:

    Paradigm’s COO, Eugene Yumshtyk:

    “This partnership marks a paradigm shift in how the UK will be able to support its warfighters… enabling the UK to maintain complete control over its critical defense capabilities.” — emphasising sovereign capability and advanced coating tech. (Canadian Defence Review)

    Perfect Bore Defense Director, Will Laughton:

    “We are prepared to go to any lengths to support the nation’s armed forces… providing premium firing systems made on British soil.” — highlighting domestic manufacture and defence support. (Canadian Defence Review)

    These comments underline strategic, national defence and industrial value rather than specific test results.

     Technical & Community Perspectives

     Expert Community Viewpoints on Coating Tech

    Technical and enthusiast forums include a range of insights (some critical, some supportive):

    • Proponents highlight EPVD:
      • They argue that EPVD can extend barrel lifespan significantly vs chrome plating and nitriding.
      • The process is fully environmentally compliant, an important advantage over traditional chrome plating. (Reddit)
    • Criticism / skepticism:
      • Some commentators caution that marketing claims about performance — especially precision improvements — may overstate what limited data supports.
      • A key point raised is that actual performance metrics (e.g., accuracy, wear rates in various calibres) are proprietary or unavailable publicly. (Reddit)

    Takeaway:
    This reflects broader industry dynamics where advanced coatings are technically promising, but definitive, peer-reviewed case studies are rare outside of controlled military testing under NDA.

     Why These Discussions Matter

     Strategic industrial and operational implications

    Even without widely published case studies, several insights are clear:

    • EPVD® and similar advanced coatings aim to improve internal surface characteristics to reduce wear, thermal erosion and extend service life — a major cost and readiness factor for modern armed forces. (Wikipedia)
    • The UK facility will be the country’s first sovereign advanced barrel coating capability, reducing reliance on overseas providers and aligning with broader domestic defence industrial strategy. (Army Technology)

     Summary — What We Know

    Aspect Status / Insights
    Official case studies (published) None publicly released for the UK facility
    Military testing referenced Community references to strong performance in 25 mm tests (not formally published) (Reddit)
    Industry leader comments Supportive of domestic capability and tech advantages (Canadian Defence Review)
    Technical community views Mixed: enthusiastic but some skepticism about data transparency (Reddit)

     Final Thoughts

    The Paradigm–Perfect Bore partnership is strategically significant for the UK’s defense industry and reflects growing interest in environmentally compliant and performance-enhancing barrel coatings. While traditional case studies are not published in open sources yet, a combination of military-level testing references and community insights suggests that EPVD technology could deliver meaningful improvements — especially in high-wear, high-pressure applications.

     

 

 

 

 

Categories: GB News, UK News