The Company...
Ever since pilots have had the need to breathe at high altitudes, Cobham has been there for them, providing oxygen enriched air and committing to the safety of their mission.
Cobham is a world leader in the application of air separation technology for aviation applications and in the design and manufacture of miniature sterling cycle cryogenic coolers.
Bendix Aviation founded the company in 1951 in Davenport, Iowa, USA,and sold the facility to Litton Industries in 1982. Northrop Grumman Corporation acquired Litton Industries in 2001 and then in August 2003, divested the Life Support division, based in Davenport, IA, to Cobham plc, Dorset, United Kingdom. This change renamed the company to Carleton Life Support Systems Inc. Carleton, along with all Cobham companies worldwide, recently adopted Cobahm plc's branding in 2009. Cobham's facility in Davenport is part of the Cobham Mission Systems Division.
Cobham plc is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced aerospace and defense systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company has five technology divisions and one service division that collectively specialize in the provision of components, subsystems and services that keep people safe, improve communications and enhance the performance of platforms.
The Cobham Mission Systems Division is a specialist provider of aviation oxygen to the military and civil markets. The division also designs and manufactures high technology pneumatic equipment for fin actuation in missiles, with a niche position in cryostatic cooling for land and aviation markets. In the personal survival market, products are developed for naval and land applications, including aircrew and vehicle restraints, parachute release mechanisms and flotation gear.
The Mission…
The mission of Cobham is to be the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of life support systems and cryogenic coolers, offering value to our customers while providing growth for our business and employees.
The Commitment…
Cobham is committed to total customer satisfaction and attaining the highest standards of quality. We achieve this through 
open communications with employees and customers, and through the process of continuous improvement.
The Objectives…
Cobham provides the best value to our customers through the following objectives:
- Exceed customer requirements
- Continuously improve company
processes - Be responsive to customer concerns
- Provide 100% on time deliveries
- Eliminate scrap and rework
- Maximize employee involvement, motivation and training
The Philosophy…
- Focus on the customer – always
- Integrity in all aspects of our business
- Continual improvement of our systems, processes and products
- Teamwork
- Respect for the individual
- Encouragement for individual development
The Products…
Cobham is a world leading manufacturer of air separation technology for aviation applications, underwater military rebreathers, and miniature stirling cycle cryogenic coolers. Our products include:
LIFE SUPPORT SBU
- Aviation Oxygen
- Aircraft Survivability
- Cryocooling Systems
- Military Rebreathers
- Medical Oxygen
MISSION EQUIPMENT SBU
- Aerial Refueling Pods - Hose and Drogue
- Internal and External Tanks
The People…
Life Support employees are people who are very proud of what they do. They have a strong midwestern work ethic and they find their jobs very satisfying.
Life Support employs over 300 employees, most of whom are engineers and technicians. Our engineering specialities include Mechanical, Electrical and Ceramics with degrees ranging from BSs to PhDs. Those working in the Bargaining Unit are highly skilled machinists who fabricate parts to extremely tight tolerances and assemblers who integrate close tolerance piece parts into mechanical assemblies.
The Area…
Life Support is in Davenport, Iowa - a community of 100,000 located on the Mississippi River. Davenport is part of a larger metropolitan area known as the Quad Cities, which includes Illinois communities, as well. This metro area is home to 360,000 people.
In the Quad Cities and surrounding area, housing is affordable. School systems are highly regarded and the crime rate is low. Quad Citians can live in the city or in the country and still be no more than 30 minutes from work.
There are two outstanding medical centers in the Quad Cities with facilities throughout the region. The Quad Cities also has an international airport that serves over 400,000 boarding passengers annually. There are two community college systems, two private four-year colleges, a Western Illinois University local campus, and a graduate studies center for advanced education.
The Quad Cities offers big city recreation and entertainment at small town prices. These include minor league baseball, hockey and arena football; a PGA Tour event; a symphony orchestra; large concert venues; great restaurants; jazz festivals; art fairs; riverboat casinos; aquatic centers and biking trails along the Mississippi River in both Illinois and Iowa.
From the historic Village of East Davenport to The District in downtown Rock Island, there are many opportunities to affordably shop, eat and socialize. And, there is more to come. Davenport’s $113M River Renaissance is well underway. River Renaissance is an economic development project designed to revitalize downtown Davenport. It includes renovations of existing buildings and the additions of others to create a destination experience for residents and tourists, alike.
There is a lot to like about the Quad Cities. It is a great place to live and work. It is growing and changing and becoming more exciting every day. We like it here and we know that you will, too.