Well, Niops is certainly in a position where it must adapt or die in a lot of respects. I really like their history in how they were once a Star League research outpost and thus were able to wield better than average equipment during the Succession Wars, but post-Jihad it seems like they've lost a lot of their previous advantages.
On the plus side, post-war reconstruction always replaces out of date and obsolete infrastructure and equipment. If the Niops Association can get their hands on some good tech, they could easily retrofit and rebuild their factories and become a sturdier target against the denizens of the Periphery.