Solar Atmospheres has announced that all Solar facilities have achieved Final Level 2 (C3PAO) status under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program following an independent third-party assessment. The milestone strengthens the company’s ability to support aerospace and defense customers requiring suppliers to maintain validated cybersecurity controls for the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information.

CMMC Level 2 aligns with the 110 security requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. Solar Atmospheres reports that all 110 requirements have been implemented and validated across its operations, with no open remediation items remaining following the assessment. For aerospace and defense manufacturers, this provides an independently assessed cybersecurity framework around the technical data and other controlled information that can accompany critical thermal-processing work.

Solar Atmospheres facility supporting CMMC Level 2 aerospace and defense processing | Aerospace Technology Monthly

Solar Atmospheres has achieved Final CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) status across all Solar facilities, strengthening cybersecurity compliance for aerospace and defense thermal-processing programs. 

Achieving the designation required coordinated investments across cybersecurity infrastructure, employee training, data protection, physical security, risk management, monitoring, documentation and ongoing security controls. These requirements extend cybersecurity responsibilities beyond IT systems alone and into the broader operational practices used to access, manage and protect controlled defense information.

“Our customers in the defense sector entrust us with sensitive technical information, and protecting that information is inseparable from the quality and integrity of the work we deliver,” said Josh Isaak, Vice President of Information Technology & Security at Solar Atmospheres.

The CMMC milestone remains relevant across the U.S. defense industrial base as contractors and suppliers continue to address NIST SP 800-171 cybersecurity requirements. Although the Department of Defense suspended implementation of CMMC Phase II in July 2026 while it reviews the program, Phase I requirements and underlying obligations to protect Controlled Unclassified Information remain in effect.

Solar Atmospheres provides vacuum heat treating, brazing and related thermal-processing services for aerospace and defense components, making secure handling of customer specifications, processing requirements and other technical information an increasingly important part of overall supplier compliance. The company currently reports seven U.S. operating locations and more than 90 vacuum furnaces, with capabilities ranging from small precision components to large assemblies measuring up to 48 feet long and weighing as much as 150,000 pounds.

About Solar Atmospheres

Solar Atmospheres is a U.S.-based commercial vacuum heat treating and brazing company serving aerospace, defense, medical, power generation, additive manufacturing and other precision industrial markets. Founded in 1983, the company operates seven U.S. locations and maintains more than 90 vacuum furnaces for thermal-processing applications ranging from small precision components to very large aerospace and industrial assemblies. Its capabilities include vacuum heat treating, brazing, carburizing, nitriding, annealing, stress relieving, hardening and tempering, solution treating, sintering and other specialized thermal processes. Solar Atmospheres reports that all locations are ISO 9001 and AS9100 registered, Nadcap accredited and ITAR compliant, with on-site metallurgical testing capabilities. For more information, please click here.

Source/Photo Credit: Solar Atmospheres

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Molly Bakewell Chamberlin
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