Aerospace IT Services

Q: Where does CMMC stand right now, and should we be taking action?

As of Q4 2026, CMMC Phase 2 third-party assessments have been suspended by the DoD due to high small-business costs and assessment bottlenecks. However, Phase 1 annual self-assessments and Level 2 SPRS score submissions remain mandatory for defense contractors.Looking to 2027, the program will undergo restructuring to implement automated validation systems and rebuild the practitioner ecosystem. Additionally, contractors should prepare for the rollout of a new “CMMC for AI” framework, which will introduce cybersecurity guidelines targeting artificial intelligence and machine learning infrastructure across the defense supply chain.

IT management, support, and security for aerospace and defense suppliers across Seattle, Renton, and the Puget Sound region

Partner with Fidelis for the reliable IT foundation and robust security environment needed to meet your compliance requirements. Support comes directly from a local Seattle team of Fidelis employees who understand the unique operational demands of manufacturing in the Puget Sound region.

Supporting the Seattle-area aerospace industry since 2008.

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206-725-7728

Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work

Renton-based and serving Puget Sound since 2008

US-based support team of Fidelis employees

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

Why aerospace supply chains carry unique IT requirements

For most manufacturers, IT is measured by how well it keeps people working and production moving. But in aerospace, demands can be extraordinary.

Your customers assess your security

Your configurations, access controls, and documentation have to hold up under external review. IT isn’t just an internal tool; it is a highly scrutinized asset that must prove its integrity to outside parties.

Aerospace firms push strict requirements down their supply chains through complex contracts, questionnaires, and audits. For your business, IT and cybersecurity are fundamental to staying competitive and securing contracts across the aerospace supply chain.

Sensitive data sits in ordinary places

Multiple types of export-controlled information (ECI) can end up poorly-secured in emails, shared folders, and standard cloud storage. Aerospace security requirements demand controls that protect your data at every point of access, including where your daily work happens.

Engineering workloads are extra demanding

Aerospace design requires massive processing power. Managing large assemblies, specialized license servers, and heavy file transfers means your engineering workstations demand robust infrastructure. They simply cannot be treated or maintained like standard front-office laptops.

Downtime has a delivery date attached

In this industry, an IT failure is never just an internal inconvenience. A stalled machine or an unreachable file server will threaten a rigid delivery commitment and can impact your permanent quality record, rather than just adding a ticket to a help desk queue.

How contract and compliance requirements impact your IT systems

Not sure which of these frameworks apply to your business? Security requirements can differ significantly by contract. What applies to your business will be found in specific contract language, not general industry guidance. The best first step is reviewing your active agreements to determine exactly which IT requirements you’ve taken on. The following table is a good starting point.

Requirement	Required of your IT	Where Fidelis fits
DFARS 252.204-7012 and NIST SP 800-171	Implement 110 specific security controls to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and maintain the ability to report cyber incidents within 72 hours.	Fidelis helps multiple aerospace clients with CUI assessments, security planning, technical controls, and coordination with vendors on hosting the secure enclave.
CMMC	Proof that your security practices work. Requires formal third-party audits to verify that NIST 800-171 controls are fully operational across your IT environment.	Fidelis has CISSPs (Certified Information Systems Security Professionals) on staff to help align secure architecture and technical controls with NIST SP 800-171.
ITAR and export-controlled technical data	Controlling which people can reach unencrypted technical data, including people at your service providers, requires US-only cloud infrastructure, end-to-end encryption, and identity management.	For systems containing CUI, Fidelis limits access to only Fidelis employees who are US citizens.
AS9100 and IA9100	Evidence that satisfies an audit, including secure configuration controls, document management, and data backups that provide digital traceability.	Fidelis will help secure your digital infrastructure and translate complex cybersecurity requirements into audit-ready evidence, ensuring your CAD blueprints, ERP data, and intellectual property can pass both AS9100 and the new IA9100 data protection mandates.
Customer and cyber insurance questionnaires	Accurate and thorough answers about configuration, access, backups, and monitoring, with evidence to support them.	Fidelis assists by answering technical questions, helping with policy/administrative control questions, and coordinating with your other providers to gather the required information.

Partnering with Fidelis, compliance requirements come from your contracts, not from us.

We’ll help you establish technical controls, run them day to day, and keep records that show they are working, so you’ll be able to demonstrate your security posture when a customer or assessor asks.

But be aware that aerospace compliance obligations are defined by the contracts you have with your clients. Fidelis cannot assess or certify your compliance, but we will help as a technical resource with the assessment and collection of evidence to support the compliance process.

What assessment preparation usually looks like

Preparing for a NIST 800-171 or CMMC assessment doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For smaller machine shops and engineering firms supplying primes like Boeing, a structured approach is much more effective than scrambling to meet a contract deadline. Here’s a five-step plan to prepare for prime contractor assessments:

Map data: Identify exactly where sensitive CUI lives.
Assess posture: Find IT gaps against NIST 800-171.
Build a roadmap: Prioritize your remediation plan.
Implement controls: Enforce MFA and segment networks.
Maintain documentation: Keep your system security plan current.

Who accesses your systems is as important as how they are configured

Your IT provider holds administrative access to the systems housing ECI such as technical drawings and program data, making their staffing a direct extension of your access controls. When export-controlled data is involved, who can reach unencrypted files is a strict regulatory requirement rather than a preference.

To meet these demands, Fidelis support is delivered solely by our own US-based American employees and never subcontracted or offshored. Administrative access is strictly role-based, continuously logged, and revoked when roles change. Furthermore, the same dedicated engineers will stay with your account over time, ensuring secure and consistent management that helps satisfy compliance obligations.

Typical outsourced IT models

Support handled by subcontracted or offshore teams.
Administrative credentials are shared across a rotating pool of technicians.
No clear answer as to who currently can access your systems.
Staffing and subcontracting arrangements change without notice.
Nobody on the account understands your operations or industry.

Fidelis aerospace IT support

Every technician on your account is a Fidelis employee.
Only US citizens staff our help desk.
We only allow vendors with US-based staff to interact in your secure environment.
All administrative access is role-based and logged. Access is removed when people change roles or leave.
The same people stay with your account.

What we support in the aerospace environment

Engineering and design systems

Your teams need workstations optimized for heavy CAD workloads and complex assemblies. We manage the specialized infrastructure behind this, including product lifecycle management (PLM) systems, dedicated license servers, and high-capacity storage arrays designed for massive file movement without latency.

Production and shop floor

We provide robust equipment connectivity and responsive onsite support to keep CNCs and precision machinery running. Crucially, we architect strict network segmentation, isolating your production environment from front-office systems to strengthen security and help ensure continuous manufacturing.

Microsoft 365 and identity

We configure your Microsoft 365 tenant to balance strict security with necessary collaboration. This includes enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and conditional access policies, while managing external sharing controls and secure guest access so you can collaborate safely with prime contractors and sub-tier suppliers.

Security monitoring and response

Protect your aerospace supply chain environment with our advanced endpoint protection and continuous monitoring. Our identity threat detection and rapid incident response protocols are built to instantly contain anomalies before they compromise your export-controlled data or production schedules.

Backup, recovery, and continuity

Your proprietary engineering data and production configurations are protected by comprehensive backup strategies specifically designed for heavy aerospace data loads. Through rigorous, routine recovery testing, we ensure that in the event of a disaster, your critical systems can be restored seamlessly to protect your delivery deadlines.

Network and infrastructure

Our in-house CISSPs build reliable foundational IT for aerospace facilities. From installing structured cabling for your manufacturing floor to deploying enterprise firewalls, high-speed switching, and secure wireless networks, we build infrastructure that supports both your local machinery and highly secure remote access for off-site engineers.

One accountable IT manager for your aerospace operations, backed by a local Seattle team

Our clients rely on us for operational ownership. With Fidelis supporting your aerospace business, you will have a dedicated manager overseeing your daily IT operations, vendor relationships, security protocols, project deadlines, and strategic budgeting. When complex challenges arise, they can leverage the full Fidelis team, giving you access to deep technical expertise without the cost and risk of hiring internal IT staff.

The Fidelis IT Manager as a Service can help your aerospace business regardless of your current IT resources.

No internal IT staff

Fidelis provides both your IT management layer and your technical team. Your aerospace operations become supported by Seattle-based IT experts who understand your business and its demands.

An internal IT person or a small team

Fidelis adds the management layer, extra capacity, and specialist expertise through a co-managed arrangement. Your internal IT person stops being a single point of failure.

An internal team plus several vendors

Your Fidelis IT manager owns the overall picture and keeps responsibilities, decisions, and projects coordinated so nothing falls between providers.

Learn more about Fidelis IT Manager as a Service for aerospace and defense suppliers across Seattle, Renton, and the Puget Sound.

Built for the companies that supply the aerospace industry

The Puget Sound region is a global aerospace hub, home to Boeing’s Renton and Everett assembly lines as well as a rapidly growing space and satellite sector. Behind these prime contractors is a vital network of tooling, machining, and parts suppliers who must meet intense production schedules and strict industry standards.

Machine shops and tooling suppliers

Whether fabricating custom parts or maintaining essential production equipment, you face constant pressure to minimize downtime and keep CNC machines and CAD/CAM software running flawlessly.

Space and satellite hardware companies

Succeeding in a high-technology, high-stakes sector means protecting your proprietary research and design data. Technology has to drive innovation instead of holding you back as you scale your operations.

Flight test and engineering services firms

Handling telemetry and performance data requires highly secure, reliable infrastructure. Your active test sites and remote engineering teams depend on seamless, uninterrupted collaboration to keep projects moving.

Defense subcontractors and suppliers with DoD exposure

Navigating complex DoD contracts means your organization must maintain a rigorous cybersecurity posture. You face the ongoing challenge of achieving and proving compliance with frameworks like CMMC and NIST 800-171.

Precision manufacturers serving aerospace programs

Delivering critical components to prime contractors means maintaining flawless digital quality control systems. Your reputation and your contracts depend on highly secure, seamlessly integrated supply chain communications.

How to know when your IT no longer meets your aerospace industry needs

You've outgrown a small IT provider

Your current IT support lacks the skills and capacity for complex compliance and projects. Response times are stretching. Strategic initiatives don't happen, and they show no sign of evolving into what your business now needs.

Your provider was acquired or consolidated

Rates rise while service levels fall. The local, trusted relationship is gone, and the technicians on your account no longer understand your specific aerospace operations or business workflows.

Success in the aerospace sector requires complete accountability and an IT team deep enough to confidently answer a prime contractor’s security questions.

Fidelis aerospace and defense partnerships in the Puget Sound region

“I want to recognize the exceptional work Fidelis has done for AeroTEC. It’s made a real difference. Responsive at all hours, coordinating seamlessly with our team and turning around requests — from access provisioning, data collection, and our complex tool relationships — quickly and without friction.

Having a partner who is not just technically capable but genuinely present and communicative makes an enormous difference. Thank you to your whole team for the work they are putting in. It means a lot.“

Shannon Y.
Director, Quality and Operational Excellence
AeroTEC, Seattle

Getting started with Fidelis

Engaging our Seattle-area aerospace IT service begins with four simple steps:

Understanding your environment and requirements

We start with a conversation about what you’re running, who supports it, and what your contracts and customers require.

Identifying gaps in your systems, access, and documentation

We look at where your IT falls short of requirements and report on what we find.

Agreeing on the support model and where to begin

We define what Fidelis handles, what stays with your team, and which gaps get dealt with first.

Running it and reporting on it

From there we manage your IT environment and keep the documentation current so it is ready when the customer asks for it.

Reach out to our team to discuss how IT is impacting your aerospace business. This is not a sales call. This is you talking with IT experts about the challenges you’re facing.

Is Fidelis IT support a fit for your aerospace organization?

Support for the aerospace and defense sectors from the best in the business

Managed IT services across the Pacific Northwest

Frequently asked questions about aerospace IT

Does Fidelis work with defense contractors and suppliers handling controlled unclassified information?

Yes. We work with aerospace suppliers, tooling manufacturers, aerospace testing companies, and companies in the space sector. Whether you are in the Boeing supply chain, satellite and space hardware, or flight testing, we handle the day-to-day support and work with specialist vendors who manage the secure enclave for CUI.

What matters most is the requirements written into your contracts. Tell us what you are dealing with, and let’s see if we can help.

Can you help us meet NIST SP 800-171 and the DFARS requirements in our contracts?

Yes. We can help you implement or develop processes and procedures, put in place security controls, and work with specialist vendors for handling CUI within your secure enclave. We also keep records and make them ready as evidence for audits. What we do not do is certify anyone or act as an assessor.

Where does CMMC stand right now, and should we be taking action?

As of Q4 2026, CMMC Phase 2 third-party assessments have been suspended by the DoD due to high small-business costs and assessment bottlenecks. However, Phase 1 annual self-assessments and Level 2 SPRS score submissions remain mandatory for defense contractors.

Looking to 2027, the program will undergo restructuring to implement automated validation systems and rebuild the practitioner ecosystem. Additionally, contractors should prepare for the rollout of a new “CMMC for AI” framework, which will introduce cybersecurity guidelines targeting artificial intelligence and machine learning infrastructure across the defense supply chain.

Can you support ITAR-controlled technical data? Can you support CAD, CAM, and our ERP system?

Yes. Where technical data is export-controlled, it matters exactly who can open it, and that includes the people working at your IT provider. Fidelis implements rigorous access policies to tightly control who can view and manage your sensitive data, for example through licensing servers for specialized software packages and segregated networks for manufacturing systems (CMM/CNC) to strictly control access to that equipment.

We can help to support ERPs and CAD/CAM packages such as AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Solidworks, Sage, Dynamics 365, Kiteworks, and more, working directly with your vendors as needed.

Is your support team based in the United States?

Yes. When you call, our local team in Renton answers. For clients dealing with CUI, we limit contact to Fidelis employees who are US citizens. We do not subcontract our helpdesk or engineering work, including after hours.

Can you work alongside our internal IT person?

Yes. With our dedicated co-managed IT services, your internal resources handle the work that’s appropriate for their skills or capacity. Fidelis takes what they do not have the time or the depth for, and adds the strategic management layer.

Do you come on site, or is support remote?

Both. While we can resolve many issues remotely, we have uniformed staff close enough to easily get there for onsite visits when the need arises. This includes supporting your physical infrastructure and low-voltage cabling work.

Can you help us answer a customer or insurance security questionnaire?

Yes. We can complete them, help you complete them, and supply the underlying evidence required. Depending on the complexity, this support either sits inside your agreement or is billed as a separate project.

How does pricing work for an aerospace supplier?

Pricing is influenced by your user and device count, the number of sites, the systems in scope, and your security and compliance requirements. While you can use our pricing page as a starting point, aerospace companies typically require additional security tools that aren’t accounted for in those baseline estimates. Your first conversation costs nothing and ends with a scope you can act on.

Talk to us about your aerospace IT requirements

Let's have a conversation about your current IT environment and the compliance requirements in your defense contracts. We'll help you identify the security gaps and what it takes to close them.

Your first consultation is not a sales call. It is completely exploratory, designed to understand your operations and see if we are the right fit for your business.