No. 12. Transparency Is Now the Minimum Requirement: Traceability Has Become Non-Negotiable
Five years ago traceability was “nice to have.”Today it decides who gets contracts.OEMs now expect:material origin trackingbatch-level traceabilitydigital documentationsupplier mappingcybersecurity compliancedocumented process controlAnd here’s the shift:In 2020, fewer than 20% of defence SMEs had full digital traceability.By 2025 80% of OEM tenders require it.Many SMEs can produce world-class components but if they cannot prove their process they will not enter the defence supply chain.The future belongs to companies that can show their work.
