A Deeper Dive into Aero Quality: Upcoming IA9100 Series Standards Updates

The aerospace and defense industries have long relied on the AS9100, AS9110, AS9120 and AS9145 series standards to provide a structured, auditable framework ensuring quality, reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance.During 2026, the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) is undertaking a comprehensive revision of these standards including a re-naming including:

IA9100: Establishes quality management system requirements for organizations involved in the design, development, and production of aerospace, space, and defense products to ensure safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

IA9110: Specifies quality management system requirements for aerospace maintenance organizations to assure the quality, safety, and airworthiness of products and services during maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities.

IA9120: Defines quality management system requirements for organizations that procure and sell aerospace parts, materials, and assemblies, focusing on ensuring product traceability, conformity, and the prevention of counterfeit parts.

IA9145: Provides a structured approach to Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) to ensure that aerospace products meet customer requirements consistently through robust planning, validation, and risk management.

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These revisions aim to align with the projected update of ISO 9001, address emerging industry challenges, and further solidify the future of aerospace quality management. This article provides a look into the key planned updates, focusing on areas of greatest importance to aerospace-focused quality professionals across manufacturing, supply, regulation, airlines, government, and consulting.

Operational Planning and Process Control: IA9100, IA9110

Operational Planning and Process Control are fundamental pillars of quality management in aerospace. The forthcoming IA9100 and IA9110 revisions place renewed emphasis on validating processes through robust statistical methodologies and data-driven decision-making. Organizations will be expected to incorporate key quality assurance tools such as:

Selection of Key Product Characteristics (KPC)
Process Capability Studies (Cp, Cpk analysis)
Statistical Process Control (SPC) with real-time monitoring
Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) for accuracy and repeatability
Design of Experiments (DOE) to optimize process parameters
Comprehensive Control Plans integrated into enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
This intensified focus ensures that products meet design intent consistently, particularly in high-risk aerospace systems where component failure is not an option. Companies will need to move beyond “reactive” process validation toward “predictive” quality control, leveraging data analytics to anticipate and prevent deviations.

Moreover, IA9110 extends these principles to the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector, requiring rigorous control of maintenance processes, particularly for aging aircraft fleets.

Product Safety: IA9100, IA9110

Product safety is being elevated from a supportive element to a central requirement. The 2026 IA9100 and IA9110 updates demand deeper integration of product safety considerations throughout the quality management system (QMS), emphasizing proactive hazard detection and mitigation at every stage. Expected enhancements include:

Anonymous internal reporting mechanisms for potential product hazards
Embedded product safety analysis into FMEA design and process activities
Mandatory inclusion of product safety considerations into risk management and audit programs
Management of Safety Critical Items (SCI) with traceable accountability
Documentation of safety-related incidents and near misses, feeding into continual improvement processes
In maintenance operations governed by IA9110, reporting potential safety issues—such as unnoticed damage during routine inspections—becomes an expectation, not an optional best practice.

Sustainability & Environmental Impact: IA9100

The IAQG updates will likely include sustainability and environmental considerations which are becoming increasingly intertwined with quality management. The aerospace sector faces mounting pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, driven by international initiatives and the increasing size of the global aircraft fleet. These initiatives are likely to be supported by broader international efforts such as the International Aerospace Environmental Group, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Airports Council International’s environmental initiatives and the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Fly Net Zero Roadmaps commitment.

Potential implications for IA9100-certified organizations include:

Conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) for products and manufacturing processes
Developing environmental management plans that integrate with quality systems
Implementing energy efficiency improvements tied to quality objectives
Including sustainability criteria in supplier evaluations
While IA9100 may not mandate environmental metrics explicitly in 2026, organizations aligning early with these principles will be better positioned for future regulatory and market expectations. The revisions are likely to align with broader international sustainability standards including:

ISO 14001 an environmental management system certification which helps reduce environmental impacts from activities such as product development, procurement, manufacturing, storage, and distribution.

ISO 50001 an energy management system certification which provides a framework to enhance energy efficiency by systematically measuring, managing, and reducing energy use and, in turn, costs and related carbon emissions.

ISO 14064-1 and ISO 14064-2 on greenhouse gases which provide guidance for calculating and reporting carbon footprint.

ISO 14068-1 on carbon neutrality providing a hierarchy framework that includes for carbon reduction and neutrality.

Supplier Management: IA9100, IA9110

Supply chain disruptions and quality escapes have highlighted the need for stronger supplier management practices. Planned changes include:

Enhanced sub-tier supplier control requirements, expanding risk management and performance monitoring beyond direct suppliers
Requirement for organizations to demonstrate supplier development activities for underperforming suppliers
Allowance for remote audits and inspections using validated digital platforms
Use of OASIS v3 as the single source of supplier audit reporting—potentially eliminating off-system audit documentation
The IAQG aims to close quality gaps that often originate deep within complex, globalized supply chains. In regulated environments, such as for FAA/EASA Part 21, ensuring supplier conformity is not just about risk—it’s about legal compliance.

Cybersecurity Integration: IA9100, IA9110

Cybersecurity risks have expanded beyond data breaches into physical safety concerns, particularly as digital twins, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled aircraft systems, and cloud-based Maintenance and Repair Organization (MRO) systems proliferate. The IA9100 and IA9110 updates reflect this shift, requiring:

Cybersecurity risk assessment integration into the quality risk management process
Secure access protocols for design, maintenance, and quality control systems
Enhanced awareness training for employees handling sensitive data
Incident response plans for data security breaches impacting quality or safety
These measures align with growing governmental regulations such as the U.S. DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and the European Union’s NIS2 Directive. It is likely they will also build upon existing cybersecurity standards such as ISO/IEC 27001:2022, which has a specific “controls” section dealing with cybersecurity protections such as incident management, access controls and rules and processes for protecting data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP): IA9145, IA9100, IA9110

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is no longer seen as optional best practice—it is becoming expected practice across aerospace programs. The IA9100 and IA9110 updates emphasize:

Adoption of APQP frameworks from project inception through production ramp-up
Use of Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) elements where applicable
Alignment with IA9145 guidance for phased project quality planning
Key benefits for organizations include earlier detection of design risks, reduction of late-stage rework, and improved customer satisfaction. Moreover, customers—particularly primes like Boeing, Airbus, and Lockheed Martin—are increasingly demanding APQP evidence during contract award and oversight activities.

Counterfeit Parts Prevention: IA9100

The proliferation of counterfeit parts continues to pose safety, legal, and reputational risks. The IA9100 2026 update enhances measures to:

Strengthen procurement from authorized sources
Require verification of source authenticity for critical components
Expand employee training programs on counterfeit parts detection
Standardize reporting of suspected counterfeit parts to customers and regulators
These efforts align with external standards such as SAE AS5553 for counterfeit electronic parts and AS6174 for counterfeit mechanical parts.

Quality Culture & Human Factors: IA9100

For quality professionals, the most personally transformative element of the upcoming revisions is arguably the formalization of quality culture and human factors within the QMS framework. Expectations will include:

Clear leadership commitment to quality as a corporate value, demonstrated through behavior and resources
Incorporation of human factors analysis in root cause investigations (e.g., fatigue, cognitive overload)
Programs to promote employee well-being and engagement as enablers of quality outcomes
Studies have shown that organizations with strong quality cultures have 46% fewer defects, underscoring the business case for this focus.

Possible preparation steps include:

Conducting gap assessments against proposed IA9100 series changes
Updating risk management processes to integrate cybersecurity and sustainability
Enhancing training programs to include human factors and quality culture topics
Deepening APQP and process control disciplines in design and production
Conclusion

The upcoming IA9100 series updates are far more than incremental adjustments—they represent a strategic modernization to address the realities of 21st-century aerospace challenges. Quality professionals across the industry must prepare now for a more digitally connected, environmentally responsible, risk-informed, and people-centric approach to quality management.

Organizations that act early—adapting quality management systems, retraining employees, and rethinking supplier relationships—will not only ensure compliance but gain strategic advantages in cost, reliability, and customer trust.