Paradigm Shift Technologies and UK-based barrel specialist Perfect Bore Defence are joining forces to introduce an EPVD® (Enhanced Physical Vapor Deposition) barrel-coating capability for 155mm artillery systems and gun barrels across all calibres in the UK. The new facility will enable the domestic sovereign capability of coating of both newly manufactured and existing (undamaged) barrels of all calibres, giving OEMs and operators a sovereign alternative to legacy chrome-lined solutions as Europe accelerates restrictions on hexavalent chrome (Cr6) under REACH.
For decades, hard chrome plating has been the default solution for protecting the interior of large-calibre gun barrels, despite its well-documented environmental and health risks and the growing difficulty of securing compliant capacity. EPVD® directly addresses this gap by depositing a high-performance, non-toxic coating uniformly along the internal length of a 155mm tube—something traditional line-of-sight PVD methods cannot achieve.
By enhancing wear resistance, corrosion protection, and barrel longevity under sustained, high-intensity firing, EPVD® supports both lethality and readiness at a time when demand is rising for 155mm artillery and gun barrels across all calibres. Locating this capability in the UK allows defence customers to maintain and modernise critical artillery fleets without depending on offshore, hazardous chrome plating processes, strengthening supply-chain resilience and sovereign control over key components.