This Is Why You're Here
Why Aerospace & Defenses Come to Us Instead of Their Bank
You won a $1.2M defense subcontract. Materials (titanium, Inconel) cost $350K. The prime contractor pays net-90 after inspection. Your bank won’t bridge a 90-day gap at this scale.
AS9100 recertification is due — audits, documentation, and corrective actions total $35K. Losing certification means losing every aerospace customer.
A 5-axis CNC machine would let you take on turbine blade contracts worth $200K/month. The machine is $450K. Your current 3-axis limits you to simpler components.
A prime contractor wants you to take over a legacy landing gear component program — $2.4M annually. You need $140K in Nadcap-certified heat treat equipment and a $55K tool crib buildout. The qualification audit is in 10 weeks and there’s no flexibility on the timeline.
Your EDM machine is producing surface finishes outside spec on turbine disk slots. A new wire EDM is $320K. Every scrapped disk blank costs $4,800 in exotic alloy material alone — and you’ve scrapped three this month.
We won a $1.8M defense subcontract but needed $310K in titanium and Inconel upfront — with net-90 government payment terms. Basecamp set up invoice factoring in 5 days. Cash flow problem solved.
Colonel Dan F. (Ret.), Aerospace Shop Owner, Huntsville, AL
Aerospace & Defense Financing
Get Your Aerospace & Defense Business Funded in 60 Seconds
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Estimated Approval Range
Based on 100-150% of monthly revenue
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Built for Your Business
Why Aerospace & Defense Businesses Choose Basecamp
Net-90 Government Pay Won't Starve You
Defense primes and government contracts pay net-90. That's 3 months with $350K in titanium and labor costs sitting unpaid. Invoice factoring on government receivables gets you 90% in 24-48 hours at the lowest rates available.
AS9100 Compliance Doesn't Wait
Recertification audits, corrective actions, documentation overhauls — $35K in costs that aren't optional. Lose your AS9100 and you lose every aerospace customer. We fund compliance costs in days.
5-Axis Machines Open 6-Figure Contracts
A $450K 5-axis CNC lets you take on turbine blade and structural component contracts worth $200K/month. Equipment financing with the machine as collateral — aerospace-grade equipment holds value and qualifies for premium terms.
ITAR-Compliant Lenders Who Get It
Your shop handles controlled defense articles. You can't work with just any lender. We connect you with partners who understand ITAR, classified programs, and the security clearance process.
Bobby's Take
Bobby's Playbook for Aerospace & Defense
Most aerospace and defense suppliers walk into a bank and get steered toward general commercial real estate financing or generic equipment loans. What banks miss is that $400K CNC or EDM equipment plus AS9100-qualified material inventory plus prime-supply working capital usually needs three different products from three specialists, not one generalist loan. Capital stacking changes the math. Here's how to position your transaction so the right specialists see it first.
Three things determine whether an aerospace and defense transaction closes: prime contractor mix (Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, etc.), your AS9100 or ITAR certification status, and the resale value of the CNC, EDM, or inspection equipment. Not your personal FICO. Not your time in business. Specialist aerospace lenders care about whether your monthly prime-contract revenue supports a $6,000-$10,000/month payment over 7-10 years — and whether your certification status keeps you eligible for the long-cycle prime contracts.
The biggest mistake aerospace and defense operators make: applying without separating prime-contracted program revenue from commercial machine-shop work. The lender sees mixed deposits and underwrites to the commercial side. The fix: separate AS9100-certified prime program revenue from commercial work. Specialist aerospace lenders price prime-contracted revenue as the most predictable (multi-year, certified). Generalist lenders see all manufacturing revenue as job-shop project-based.
AS9100-certified prime program revenue lost without 5-axis capacity
Where this gets interesting at scale: an aerospace and defense supplier adding a 5-axis CNC, EDM capacity, or inspection equipment doesn't need ONE loan. They need equipment financing for the new equipment + a working capital line for certified raw-material inventory + invoice factoring on the longer-paying prime accounts (often net-60 or net-90) + sometimes a SBA 504 for an AS9100-compliant facility. Four products, multiple lenders, one application — that's how single-line aerospace shops scale into multi-cell certified suppliers.
The aerospace and defense operators who scale fastest aren't the ones who waited until they had every prime-contract program signed. They're the ones who had CNC or inspection capacity ready when a prime offered an additional program. Turning down a $700K-per-year multi-year prime program because you can't add a 5-axis cell is revenue going to a competing certified supplier. Run the numbers in 60 seconds — see what 70+ specialist lenders will offer your aerospace and defense business this week.
Bottom line:
Aerospace and defense suppliers get blended into general manufacturing when AS9100-certified prime contracts are multi-year recurring revenue. Show them separately — that's how a specialist prices the certification floor.
Bobby Friel
Founder, Basecamp Funding
What You're Up Against
The Real Challenges Aerospace & Defenses Face
Pricing Transparency
What Aerospace & Defense Funding Actually Costs
Rates and terms depend on credit, revenue, time in business, and lender. Every business is unique — see what 70+ lenders will offer you in 60 seconds. Soft-pull pre-qual.
These are industry averages. Your actual rate depends on your revenue, credit profile, and time in business — it could be lower. Run your specific numbers in 30 seconds.
Calculate Your Real Cost →Tax Strategy
Section 179 Breakdown for Aerospace & Defenses
Finance the equipment. Keep your cash. Take the deduction. Your 5-axis cnc mill (aerospace grade) costs $270,000 after taxes and you never touched your reserves.
Bobby Friel
Founder, Basecamp Funding
How It Works
From Application to Funded in 5 Steps
No paperwork avalanche. No bank lobby. No guessing.
60-Second Intake
Tell us about your shop, what you produce, and monthly revenue. No P&L upload yet.
Soft Credit Screen
We screen options with no impact on your FICO or your supplier credit lines.
Manufacturing-Specialty Lenders Compete
70+ lenders who fund CNC shops, fabricators, and assemblers review your file in parallel.
One Specialist, Multiple Term Sheets
Your funding specialist walks through equipment finance, working capital, and PO/invoice structures.
Choose Your Offer, Sign, Get Funded
E-signature. Capital lands in time to keep production on schedule and POs flowing.
Aerospace & Defense Capital Uses
What Aerospace & Defense Businesses Use Funding For
Equipment & Machinery
CNC machines, lathes, presses, conveyors, welders. Finance upgrades without draining cash reserves.
Raw Materials & Inventory
Steel, resin, lumber, components. Lock in bulk pricing and fill large orders without cash crunches.
Facility Expansion
New production lines, warehouse space, cold storage. Scale your footprint to match demand.
Workforce & Hiring
Skilled operators, engineers, floor supervisors. Staff up for large contracts and seasonal surges.
Technology & Automation
Robotics, ERP systems, IoT sensors, AI quality control. Invest in Industry 4.0 without cash strain.
Supply Chain Resilience
Dual-source suppliers, safety stock, domestic reshoring. Protect against disruptions and tariff exposure.
Full Transparency
What Kills Your Qualification (And What Doesn't)
Most lenders won't tell you this upfront. We will.
✅ These Won't Stop You
These Can Be Deal-Breakers
Need commercial insurance for your aerospace & defense business?
Commercial insurance is required for most equipment loans over $50K. InsuranceService365.com covers manufacturers across 29 states.
Don't Wait Until You Need Funding to Get Funded
Manufacturing revenue is concentrated — a few large customers, net-30/60 terms, raw materials due upfront. The shops that scale steadily funded equipment and working capital BEFORE the big PO landed. By the time you're scrambling for a $200K CNC down payment, the customer is already shopping a competitor. Pre-qualify when production is steady.
Ready?
See What Your Aerospace & Defense Business Qualifies For
Slide the calculator, answer 3 questions, and a specialist pulls your options within the hour.
See What You Could Qualify For
Slide to your average monthly bank deposits.
Estimated Approval Range
Based on 100-150% of monthly revenue
Soft-pull pre-qual · No obligation · Estimate only
Other Manufacturers Specialties We Fund
Click any specialty for tailored financing options.
Recommended Products
Recommended Funding for Aerospace & Defense Businesses
Working Capital
Fund raw materials and payroll before customer payment arrives.
Learn More →Equipment Financing
Finance CNC machines, presses, and production equipment — asset-backed.
Learn More →Invoice Factoring
Convert net-30/60/90 invoices into same-day cash.
Learn More →Business Line of Credit
Draw for materials and tooling as production orders fluctuate.
Learn More →FAQs
Aerospace & Defense Business Loan FAQs
Aerospace Manufacturing Loans & Defense Contractor Financing — $10K to $20M+
Aerospace is the most capital-intensive manufacturing sector there is. A 5-axis CNC machine costs $450K. Titanium billets run $80 a pound. And the government pays net-90. You win a $1.2M defense subcontract, front $350K in exotic alloys and machining time, and then wait three months for inspection and payment. Your bank can't bridge a 90-day gap at that scale. Ours can. Government invoices qualify for the lowest factoring rates in the market — 1-2% per 30 days — because Uncle Sam always pays.
And then there's certification. AS9100 recertification costs $35K in audits, documentation, and corrective actions. It's not optional — lose it and you lose every aerospace customer overnight. ITAR compliance adds another layer. These aren't expenses most lenders understand. Our 70+ lending partners fund aerospace shops, defense subcontractors, and MRO facilities every week. $30K compliance costs to $2M equipment expansions. One application, 60 seconds, no hard pull.
Stop Letting Raw Material Costs Outpace Customer Payments. Get Your Aerospace & Defense Operation Funded Today.
60 seconds. Soft-pull pre-qual. No obligation.
See What You Qualify For →Soft-pull pre-qual · Free to check · Nationwide