The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 is the U.S. Department of Defense's cybersecurity framework for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI) across the defense industrial base (DIB). CMMC 2.0 streamlines the original model into three levels aligned with NIST SP 800-171 and NIST SP 800-172.
For most defense contractors, CMMC Level 2 (aligned with NIST 800-171's 110 controls) is the requirement — and it must be validated by a Certified Third Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO). Without CMMC certification, organizations cannot bid on or perform DoD contracts requiring CUI handling.
For lean defense contractors, the gap isn't tooling — it's people. Agency's U.S.-based forward-deployed engineers operate your CMMC program end-to-end so you don't have to hire a security team to win the contract.
Any organization in the defense industrial base that handles CUI or FCI — including prime contractors, subcontractors, and technology vendors — must achieve CMMC certification at the appropriate level.
Aerospace & Aviation — Defense primes, subcontractors, and aviation technology companies handling CUI in aircraft, satellite, and weapons system programs.
Government — Government technology contractors and systems integrators providing IT services, cloud infrastructure, or software to DoD.
Critical Infrastructure — Companies providing cybersecurity, networking, or operational technology services to defense-related critical infrastructure.
Technology & Software — SaaS and cloud providers serving defense contractors or DoD agencies directly. Any technology in the CUI data flow must meet CMMC requirements.
Hardware Development — Manufacturers and engineering firms producing defense components, electronics, or systems that require CUI handling.
Energy — Energy companies supporting defense installations, military bases, or DoD energy programs.
Audited Compliance — CMMC Level 2 requires implementation of 110 NIST 800-171 controls with documented evidence of maturity. Creating and maintaining System Security Plans (SSPs), POA&Ms, and control-level evidence manually is a massive undertaking for small and mid-size defense contractors.
Cross-Framework Complexity — CMMC overlaps with FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and DFARS 252.204-7012. Organizations already pursuing federal or international certifications face redundant control implementations without cross-mapping.
Risk Visibility — NIST 800-171 requires organizations to assess risk, monitor controls, and manage vulnerabilities continuously. Many defense contractors lack the tooling and staffing for real-time security monitoring.
Fragmented Governance — CUI can flow through email, file shares, cloud storage, engineering tools, and manufacturing systems. Scoping the CMMC boundary and governing controls across all of these systems requires centralized oversight.
Vendor Risk — CMMC requirements flow down to subcontractors. Primes must ensure their supply chain meets the same certification level, creating a cascading compliance obligation.
Insider Risks — Defense contractors handling CUI face heightened insider threat requirements, including personnel screening, access controls, and monitoring of privileged users.
BYOD Security — Personal devices accessing CUI environments must meet the full CMMC control baseline, creating enforcement challenges for contractors with BYOD policies.
Agency operates your CMMC 2.0 compliance program end-to-end — from scoping and gap analysis through C3PAO assessment and ongoing compliance maintenance.
NIST 800-171 Control Implementation — Agency's U.S.-based forward-deployed engineers, supercharged by proprietary AI, implement and enforce all 110 NIST 800-171 controls across your CUI environment. Every control is validated continuously, with evidence maintained in real time.
CUI Boundary Management — Agency identifies and documents your CUI data flows, scopes the CMMC boundary, and ensures every system, application, and endpoint within that boundary meets the required control baseline.
SSP and POA&M Management — M79 generates and maintains System Security Plans and Plans of Action and Milestones formatted to CMMC assessment expectations. Documentation stays current as controls are implemented and remediated.
Supply Chain Compliance — Agency monitors subcontractor compliance posture and documents flow-down requirements, helping primes ensure their supply chain meets CMMC obligations.
C3PAO Assessment Readiness — Agency prepares your organization for C3PAO assessment with validated controls, complete evidence packages, and real-time audit monitoring through Ringwraith. Storm Shadow validates every artifact before assessor review.
Cross-Framework Mapping — Armada PSCO maps NIST 800-171 controls to FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and DFARS requirements. Work done for CMMC carries forward to every overlapping certification.
Plain-English buyer's guides and step-by-step readiness checklists, from the team that runs compliance end-to-end for 600+ companies.
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