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
Soil contact and persistent moisture accelerate corrosion on stainless steel, especially when free iron from welding or fabrication is present on the surface. Passivation removes this free iron and restores the natural passive layer, significantly extending service life for ground-engaging and moisture-exposed agricultural components. The process is fast, adds no dimensional change, and pairs well with Cerakote topcoats when maximum durability is required.
AS9100:2015 is the aerospace industry's quality management standard, requiring documented processes, lot traceability, corrective action protocols, and continuous improvement systems. ColoradoKote holds AS9100 alongside ISO 9001, ITAR registration, and Cerakote Advanced Applicator certification. This complete stack means your procurement team can qualify one vendor for ceramic coating, chemical conversion, and passivation instead of managing multiple suppliers.
Yes. Engine mounts, transmission components, suspension bushings, and exhaust hangers experience constant vibration that can crack rigid coatings. Polymer coating provides corrosion and chemical protection while flexing with the component. For high-performance and racing applications, polymer coating protects components exposed to fuels, brake fluid, and coolant without adding significant weight. The coating maintains adhesion through thousands of thermal and vibration cycles.
The complete marine coating stack, ultrasonic cleaning followed by sandblasting followed by chemical conversion or passivation followed by Cerakote, depends on contamination-free surfaces at every step. Ultrasonic cleaning removes the salt, biological, and chemical contaminants specific to marine hardware. Subsequent blasting creates the mechanical profile. Each step builds on the previous one. Skipping ultrasonic cleaning on marine components risks chloride contamination under the coating, which initiates corrosion that the coating was meant to prevent.
No. Cerakote's 0.5 to 2 mil film build adds minimal mass to AM parts that are often topology-optimized for minimum weight. Powder coat at 4 to 6 mils would partially negate the weight savings that drove the AM design decision. Cerakote preserves both the weight advantage and the dimensional accuracy of additive manufactured components while adding full corrosion, wear, and aesthetic performance.
Start Your Defense Project
Request an ITAR-compliant coating quote. We respond within 24 hours with pricing.