Defense
Strengthening the Shield, Sharpening the Sword
Highest Level of Precision for Critical Industry Needs
While the old saw says an army “travels on its stomach” no military force can be effective if its tools are not mission-ready. ITAR-registered AOTCO is proud to help equip the brave men and women who defend our nation every day.
AOTCO’s surface treatments are found in a wide array of Defense industry applications on the ground, in the air, under water, and soaring in the heavens. Our expertise in multi-material finishing and plating parts with unique and complex geometries allows designing engineers to create the perfect specialized tools for every mission imaginable, while simultaneously meeting the needs for durability and reliability in the most challenging environments.
AOTCO – enabling the teams that enable America’s defenders.

Scores of MilSpecs across Dozens of Finishes
For decades AOTCO has partnered with the nation’s leading defense firms to ensure peak performance of the tools our defenders need, including:
- Missile Components
- Night Vision Goggles and other Optical Devices
- Avionics
- Communications Systems
- Electronics
- Aircraft Parts
- Gun Sights and Other Parts
- And much, much more

AOTCO delivers the benefits of a complete range of Anodizing capabilities, a very broad range of Plating processes and a suite of additional complimentary surface finishes.
Anodizing
- Type 1 Anodize (Chromic Acid)
- Type 2 Anodize (Sulfuric Acid)
- Type 3 Anodize (Hardcoat)
- Hardcoat Anodize with Teflon Impregnation
- Color Anodize (Black & dozens of colors)
- Titanium Anodize
- Beryllium Anodize
Plating
- 20+ Plating Processes, including Common and Precious Metals
- 25+ Common and Exotic Substates
- 60+ Finishing Specs
And More
- Chem Films & Conversion Coatings
- Passivation
- Electropolishing
- Masking
- Pre-Treatments
- Post-Treatments
In-house Expertise
AOTCO’s wide range of surface finishing competencies are bolstered by AOTCO Labs, our in-house problem-solving team of engineers. This group brings decades of finishing skills and know-how to help customers to develop solutions for new products.
AOTCO Labs is ready to help your Defense designers find the right solution to Strengthen the Shield and Sharpen the Sword.

Typical Finishing Goals for Defense Applications
- High Strength to Weight Ratio
- Durability
- Wear & Abrasion resistance
- Tight Dimensional Tolerances
- High Degree of Flexion
- Performance Under a Wide Range of Temperatures
- Corrosion Protection
- Thermal Insulation
- Electrical Insulation
- Electrical Conductivity
- RFI/EMI Shielding
- Lubricity
- Meeting Regulatory Requirements
- Supply Chain Certainty
AOTCO Strengths at a Glance
- Rapid Turnarounds
- Multi-Material Finishing
- Unusual Combinations
- Low Volume - High Mix
- Exotic Materials
- Complex Geometries
- Production Scaling (high volume)
- Dedicated Capacity (high volume)
- Working Collaboratively with Your Team to Invent Solutions for New Products