Defense and Military
Precision Cerakote ceramic coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
What Defense Demands
Zero tolerance for compliance failure
Wear Protection That Keeps Equipment in Service
Surface wear shortens component life and drives unplanned maintenance. Ceramic coating delivers 9H hardness with 160/160 in-lbs impact strength (ASTM verified).
Corrosion-Resistant Cerakote Coating
3,000 hours of ASTM B117 salt spray resistance. Molecular-level protection for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
Cerakote Color Consistency & Aesthetic Finishing
Delta E ≤1.5 color precision across production runs. 200+ standard colors. Spectrophotometer-verified on every batch.
Weight Reduction Without Sacrificing Protection
Thick coatings add weight that undermines lightweighting efforts. Ceramic coating at 0.5-2 mils delivers full protection with 200-400g savings per part versus powder coating.
Coatings Engineered for Defense Performance
ColoradoKote delivers ceramic coating with the mil-spec compliance, corrosion protection, and wear resistance that defense applications demand, backed by ITAR registration and AS9100 certification.
Defense components face simultaneous exposure to corrosion, abrasion, chemical decontamination, and thermal cycling. Cerakote ceramic coating provides a single protective barrier that addresses all four threat vectors in a thin-film application at 0.5–2 mils.
Our ITAR-registered facility and AS9100-certified quality system ensure that every coating application meets the documentation and traceability standards that defense procurement requires.
Why Cerakote Outperforms Conventional Mil-Spec Finishes
Mil-spec phosphate and parkerizing provide limited corrosion protection. Hard chrome plating faces environmental restrictions. Anodizing works only on aluminum. Cerakote bonds to all defense metals and composites with 3,000+ hours salt spray resistance, 9H hardness, and chemical decontamination resistance in one application.
Certifications behind every coating
We hold the credentials your industry demands. Every coating we apply meets or exceeds the standards that keep your components performing.
AS9100 quality management
The highest standard for quality management in coating operations, ensuring our processes meet the most demanding traceability requirements.
ITAR defense manufacturing compliance
Authorized to handle controlled defense articles and technical data with proper security protocols.
ISO 9001 quality systems certification
Demonstrates our commitment to consistent quality and continuous improvement across all operations.
How We Coat for Defense
ITAR-controlled process with documented chain of custody
Receiving & Specification Review
Components received under ITAR-controlled protocols. Parts inspected, photographed, and logged against purchase order. Mil-spec requirements and engineering drawings reviewed before processing.
Surface Preparation & Masking
Media blasting to specified surface profile. Critical interfaces, datum features, and electrical contact points masked per engineering requirements. Ultrasonic cleaning removes contaminants and preservatives.
Application, Cure & Inspection
Cerakote applied per specification with thickness verification at multiple points. Oven-cured per manufacturer parameters. Post-cure inspection includes thickness, adhesion, color verification, and visual examination. Certificate of Conformance with full chain-of-custody documentation accompanies every shipment.
Defense and Tactical Equipment We Coat
From weapon system components to field support equipment
Why Cerakote for Oil and Gas Weight Savings
Thin-film protection for demanding environments
Why Cerakote for Medical Weight Reduction
Thin-film protection for precision instruments
Why Cerakote for Maritime Weight Reduction
Thin-film saltwater protection at reduced mass
Why Cerakote for Industrial Weight Reduction
Thin-film protection that preserves design tolerances
What matters most
The performance data that matters for your operation
3,000+ Hours Salt Spray Resistance
ASTM B117 verified. Molecular-level corrosion barrier withstands desert salt flats, coastal operations, and chemical decontamination cycles that strip conventional military finishes.
Full Mil-Spec Documentation
Certificate of Conformance with every shipment. ITAR-controlled material traceability, application parameters, cure data, thickness measurements, adhesion results, and color verification. First Article Inspection (AS9102) available.
9H Hardness, Impact & Abrasion Resistance
ASTM D3363 pencil hardness and ASTM D4060 Taber abrasion verified. Impact strength: 160/160 in-lbs per ASTM D2794. Protects tactical equipment from field abuse, sand erosion, and operational wear.
Chemical Decontamination Resistant
Cerakote maintains adhesion and barrier integrity through CBRN decontamination protocols that destroy conventional paint systems. Consistent performance verified across production lots with documented quality data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about our coating processes and technical capabilities
Passivation per ASTM A967 removes free iron and surface contaminants from stainless steel industrial components, restoring the chromium-rich passive layer that gives stainless its corrosion resistance. This is essential for equipment exposed to chemicals, moisture, and temperature cycling in industrial environments. The process adds no dimensional change, so press-fit assemblies, sealing surfaces, and threaded connections remain within specification.
Cerakote applies at 0.5-2 mils versus 4-6 mils for powder coating, preserving the fine detail and edge definition on machined or forged wheels. Color consistency at Delta E 1.5 is tighter than powder coating's typical Delta E 2-4, and salt spray resistance of 3,000 hours (ASTM B117) versus 500-1,500 hours for powder coating means better protection against road salt and brake fluid. Cerakote also resists chipping 2-3 times better than powder coating.
Additive manufactured parts, particularly metal AM in stainless steel and titanium, benefit from Cerakote's 3,000-hour salt spray protection to address the surface porosity and roughness inherent in as-printed parts. Our passivation and chemical conversion pre-treatments seal the substrate before Cerakote application, creating a comprehensive corrosion barrier. This makes AM parts viable for end-use applications in corrosive environments rather than just prototyping.
Yes. Many metal AM alloys including AlSi10Mg and some stainless steel builds have porosity and surface conditions that make them more corrosion-susceptible than wrought equivalents. Cerakote seals surface porosity and provides a continuous barrier coating that delivers salt spray resistance exceeding 3,000 hours. For AM parts in corrosive environments, the coating transforms a corrosion-vulnerable printed part into a protected production component.
Chemical conversion coating serves as the ideal foundation layer for defense multi-coat systems on aluminum substrates. The sub-micron conversion layer provides excellent paint adhesion while adding its own corrosion barrier. When topped with Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils, the full stack delivers 3,000 hours of salt spray protection (ASTM B117) while keeping total buildup far below powder coating's 4-6 mils, preserving critical tolerances on weapon systems and equipment.
Start Your Defense Project
Request an ITAR-compliant coating quote. We respond within 24 hours with pricing.