Voltacon to Supply 10,000 Custom LED Lights for the French Navy’s Flagship Carrier

A Prestigious International Defence Contract

A Midlands renewable energy and lighting manufacturer has secured a prestigious international defence contract to supply thousands of custom-designed lights for the flagship aircraft carrier of the French Navy.

Voltacon Energy Systems, based on the Burnsall Road Industrial Estate in Coventry, has been awarded a £100,000 contract by the French Ministry of Armed Forces for the Charles de Gaulle warship after impressing military engineers with its advanced LED lighting for the UK’s Royal Navy.

Long-Standing Naval Partnership

The order for 10,000 tube lights follows a strong relationship with the UK Ministry of Defence, where Voltacon previously supplied over 20,000 specialist LED bulbs for vessels including:

• HMS Queen Elizabeth
• HMS Prince of Wales
• Type 45 Destroyers
• Various Royal Navy frigates

The new lights will be packaged and delivered to France for installation aboard the Charles de Gaulle this autumn.

French Ministry of Armed Forces Statement

“We have partnered before with Voltacon to upgrade our own lighting network with very positive results.”

“Having a first-hand account of the project on our own aircraft carriers, it was only logical to extend this offer to the Charles de Gaulle.”

“After extensive testing, we concluded that our overall electrical characteristics improved and that this solution was far more cost, time and environmentally effective than replacing the fixtures themselves.”

Innovation Under NATO Collaboration

Stefanos Kandilidis, Managing Director of Voltacon Energy Systems, said the deal reflects growing cross-border collaboration under NATO’s framework for shared innovation and procurement.

“This relationship began at a defence engineering conference where a senior MoD engineer introduced us to their French counterparts,” he said.

“They were looking to renovate and modernise the lighting systems on the Charles de Gaulle. After testing our strobe lighting, we received positive feedback—particularly regarding improvements in brightness, energy efficiency, and the elimination of magnetic interference that had plagued older fluorescent systems.”

Engineering Excellence Recognised

Voltacon’s lights underwent rigorous trials before being selected for full deployment on the Charles de Gaulle, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

“We’re honoured to play a part in modernising such an iconic vessel,” Stefanos added. “This is more than just a business deal; it’s validation of our engineering capabilities and the trust placed in us through the NATO network.”

“Any NATO country can now source our products without going through extended compliance checks, giving us a direct route to supply defence projects across Europe and beyond.”

Looking Ahead

Voltacon now has its sights set on expanding its footprint in global defence supply chains, including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Stefanos said: “We’re building a strong reputation for problem-solving in complex environments like naval ships. This latest project could be the springboard to even bigger opportunities within NATO and allied forces.”

Key Highlights

• £100,000 contract with the French Ministry of Armed Forces
• 10,000 custom LED tube lights designed and manufactured by Voltacon
• Used aboard the French Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle
• Built upon success with the UK’s Royal Navy and NATO collaboration
• Part of Voltacon’s growing role in global defence supply chains