The next few years will bring significant changes to quality and compliance standards. ISO 9001, the foundational global quality management system (QMS) standard, is being revised for 2026. In aerospace and defense, AS9100 is evolving into IA9100, aligning with ISO’s revisions, and incorporating tighter supply-chain and digital assurance practices. At the same time, the IATF 16949 automotive standard — another derivative of ISO 9001 — is undergoing its own modernization, and U.S. defense suppliers are preparing for CMMC cybersecurity certification, derived from NIST SP 800-171 requirements.



This alignment cycle is not a coincidence — it represents an effort by industry bodies to harmonize quality, risk, and cybersecurity expectations across manufacturing sectors. The result is a new generation of management systems built for digital supply chains, resilience, and data integrity.

From AS9100 to IA9100 — What Is Changing, and When?

The aerospace and defense sector will see AS9100 rebranded as IA9100, reflecting the International Aerospace Quality Group’s (IAQG) global alignment.

The IAQG will maintain synchronization with ISO 9001:2026, with two stages of updates expected:

1.  A limited update to manage near-term needs and branding (2025–2026), and 
2.  A comprehensive update once ISO 9001:2026 is published (2027).

The IA9100 revision will preserve hallmark aerospace clauses — product safety, configuration management, counterfeit parts prevention— while modernizing supplier management and digital assurance.

Action items for aerospace organizations:

•  Map AS9100D controls to the ISO 9001:2026 drafts.
•  Plan for two transition audits instead of one.
•  Begin updating supplier quality agreements to anticipate cyber and export-control clauses.

Focus Areas of the New Revision

The following enhancements are under consideration:

1.  Cybersecurity and software assurance – integration with ISO/SAE 21434 and UNECE R155 frameworks.
2.  Sustainability and ESG requirements – alignment with ISO 9001:2026’s climate action amendment.
3.  Data integrity and digital manufacturing – explicit controls for AI-assisted inspection, digital twins, and MES/ERP data traceability.
4.  Remote audits and AI-assisted quality monitoring – formal acceptance of digital audit methods introduced during COVID-era adaptations.
5.  Enhanced supplier risk management – deeper supplier scorecarding, early-warning systems, and escalation protocols.

How to Prepare

•  Begin addressing cybersecurity and data authenticity for vehicle software and connected manufacturing systems.
•  Expect new auditor competency requirements tied to digital quality systems and AI analytics.
•  Strengthen supplier engagement through performance data, traceability audits, and ESG considerations

Key Takeaways

• ISO 9001:2026 focuses on leadership, knowledge, sustainability, and risk.
•  IA9100 (formerly AS9100) rebrands and aligns fully with ISO’s 2026 structure.
•  NIST and CMMC requirements must now be operationalized within QMS processes.
•  Multi-sector suppliers can use this alignment to build a unified, future-proof management system.

During audit preparation, these historical records provide background on previous audits and findings. These records provide important context for auditors when preparing and conducting audits. By reviewing previous findings, corrective actions, and related documentation, auditors can better understand an organization’s certification history and identify areas that may require closer attention. Several types of certification data contribute to this context:

• Previous audit reports and findings 
• Corrective actions and follow-up activities 
• Client documentation and supporting materials 
• Audit plans and records created during the audit process 

Because these activities depend on access to relevant records, retrieving certification data efficiently can influence how auditors spend their time during preparation, documentation, and follow-up. When records are difficult to locate or scattered across documentation, auditors may spend more time searching for information than focusing on the audit. 

The new edition, ISO 14001:2026, is expected to be published in the first half of this year and will replace the long-standing 2015 version, which has guided organizations worldwide in managing their environmental responsibilities.

While the revision is not expected to overhaul the standard, it introduces important clarifications and refinements that reflect evolving environmental and sustainability expectations:

1. Stronger focus on climate change, biodiversity, and resource resilience

The organizational context (Clause 4 of the standard) is expected to be expanded to emphasize a broader range of environmental conditions. Climate resilience is considered alongside issues such as pollution, biodiversity loss, and resource availability, reinforcing the need to anticipate and respond to external environmental risks.

Climate change, which was the subject of the 2024 amendment to ISO 14001:2015, is expected to be included in Clause 4 of the standard, which focuses on the organization’s context.

2. Enhanced life cycle perspective

ISO 14001:2026 is expected to place greater emphasis on life cycle thinking across the EMS. This means organizations must consider environmental aspects and impacts not just at the operational level, but across upstream and downstream activities that they can control or influence — such as sourcing, product use, and end-of-life considerations.

3. Clarified risk and opportunity processes

The planning phase of the EMS will likely include clearer language around identifying and addressing risks and opportunities. A subclause on change management will guide organizations in adapting their EMS in response to internal or external changes more systematically.

4. Broader scope of operational control

Where the 2015 version referred primarily to “outsourced processes,” the 2026 edition is expected to extend this to “externally provided processes, products and services.” This change reflects the reality that environmental impacts often emerge throughout value chains, not just within core operations.

5. Stronger performance evaluation and accountability requirements

Expect a clearer articulation of performance evaluation expectations, including environmental performance metrics and how organizations measure and demonstrate EMS effectiveness. The role of top management and their accountability for environmental objectives continues to be reinforced.

6. Expanded guidance and clarified terminology

The new edition will include updated guidance and definitions to help organizations interpret and apply requirements more consistently, reducing ambiguity and supporting harmonized implementation.

Here are links to articles to further explore these topics:



• ISO 14001: Environmental management systems — Requirements with guidance for use
• 2026 Aerospace and Defense Industry Outlook