If you’ve spent any time procuring aerospace or defence components, you’ve seen AS9100 and AS9120 on supplier documentation. The two standards are related but not interchangeable, and understanding the difference can save a buyer real time — and real risk — during sourcing.
AS9100: The Standard for Manufacturers
AS9100 is a quality management standard built for organizations that design, develop, or manufacture aerospace, aviation, and defence products. It covers the full production process: engineering controls, risk management, configuration management, and manufacturing quality — everything involved in actually making a part.
AS9120: The Standard for Distributors
AS9120 was created specifically for stockists, distributors, and resellers of aerospace parts — companies that don’t manufacture components but handle their storage, handling, and distribution. It focuses on areas like preventing counterfeit parts, maintaining traceability during storage and handling, and verifying documentation through the supply chain. For any buyer sourcing through a distributor rather than a manufacturer, AS9120 certification is the standard to look for.
Why the Distinction Matters When You’re Sourcing
A manufacturer certified to AS9100 controls quality at the point of production. A distributor certified to AS9120 controls quality at the point of storage, handling, and resale — making sure what left the factory floor is still exactly what arrives at your dock, with an unbroken paper trail in between. When a sourcing partner works through both AS9100 and AS9120-certified partners, buyers get coverage across the entire chain: from how the part was made to how it was stored, verified, and shipped.
What This Means in Practice for Buyers
- Ask which standard applies to which supplier. A manufacturer and a distributor in the same supply chain should hold different certifications — and both should be verifiable.
- Traceability doesn’t stop at manufacturing. A part can be made correctly and still lose its paper trail during handling. AS9120 is what protects against that.
- Documentation is the deliverable, not an add-on. Certificates of conformance, certificates of origin, and test reports should arrive with every order as standard practice, not as a special request.
- Counterfeit prevention is a real concern. AS9120’s handling and verification requirements exist specifically because counterfeit and mismatched parts are a known risk in aerospace supply chains.
The Takeaway
For aerospace, defence, and industrial buyers, understanding AS9100 and AS9120 isn’t just a compliance detail — it’s a practical filter for choosing sourcing partners. A partner who routes procurement through both certified manufacturers and certified distributors is offering coverage across the full lifecycle of a component, not just one link in the chain.
AeroLink Global Services executes every order through a network of AS9100/AS9120-certified partner companies, ensuring full traceability and compliance from sourcing through delivery. Get in touch to discuss your next RFQ.