The aerospace and defense industry’s contribution to the economy is significant. In 2024
alone, it generated $995 billion in business activity, supported 2.2 million jobs and outpaced the broader U.S. economy in nominal gross domestic product growth, according to a 2025 report from Aerospace Industries Association and S&P Global Market Intelligence.
This sector delivers military hardware, intelligence systems, surveillance tools and cybersecurity capabilities, including aircraft, missiles, naval vessels, space assets and secure infrastructure. Many of today’s technological breakthroughs in materials, computing, AI, and communications began as defense research and development. Civilian industries benefit too, with innovations like GPS and satellite imaging finding widespread application.
A&D not only fuels job creation, exports and supply chains, it also underpins national security and global competitiveness. But to preserve this advantage, highly
classified operations must be conducted in secure environments.
What is the critical role of a SCIF?
Sensitive compartmented information facilities are physical spaces built to the ICD-705 standards to protect national intelligence and ensure operational security. SCIFs are constructed to prevent eavesdropping, interception of electronic emissions, unauthorized entry, acoustic and data leaks, external visual observation and other espionage-related
threats. SCIFs can include clean rooms, laboratories, office spaces, conference rooms, manufacturing areas, logistics spaces, or a mix of these.
Secure construction is a foundation of what the aerospace and defense industry provides; it is also a requirement of the U.S. government. As technologies evolve and
cyber warfare becomes more sophisticated, SCIF accreditation standards must keep pace.
A new reality: updates to the ICD-705?
Owners and tenants with sensitive spaces must comply with the 2025 updates to ICD-705 (the security and construction standards for Intelligence Community facilities). A 2028 cutoff is looming for grandfathered facilities. These updates can potentially render many existing SCIFs noncompliant without major work.
What are the key updates to the ICD-705?
Stricter expectations for radio frequency protection, TEMPEST countermeasures and
emissions security; stricter technologies for technical security; centralized inventories for noncompliant SCIFs, deadlines for accreditation, risk assessment and plan of
action milestones; and stricter documentation.
What do the ICD-705 updates mean for existing SCIFs?
Under the updated standards, retrofitting existing SCIFs might demand a complete gut rebuild. Many current SCIFs accredited under legacy standards will fail new RF,
TEMPEST and acoustic controls unless they are rebuilt from the shell. For tenants operating a single SCIF within a multi-tenant building, downtime during renovation can halt classified operations. Because many organizations lack a backup SCIF, it’s essential to involve your general contractor early to evaluate mitigation options such as phased construction or temporary relocation.
How can long lead materials affect the schedule?
Owners and contractors must identify long lead items (doors, specialized panels, security hardware) and issue procurement orders early, before design is 100% locked. Delays in such items will extend the schedule and impact mission-critical timelines. Sound Transmission Class doors and power filters, in particular, can have lead times of up to a year.
What does ICD-705 accreditation success look like?
First-time accreditation pass: No construction findings that delay the schedule and disrupt continuity of operations.
Retrofit duration: Early planning will proactively reduce downtime. The window to act before performance expectations tighten will shrink.
Proactive procurement: Order critical materials early (STC doors, power filters, shielding, cable and more).
Seamless coordination: Use a delivery method to integrate architecture, security, and construction working in unison for better communication and speed to market.
Decrease cost per square foot: The cost per square foot decreases as builds get larger. Amortization works in your favor. Plan with future expansion in mind, not
just current needs.
Case study: Bryan Construction + Nooks
Nooks offers classified-infrastructure-as-a-service through a subscription model providing SCIF space in shared facilities to multiple clients. For its Colorado Springs flagship, Bryan Construction led the design-build collaboration.
The result? The facility passed accreditation inspections with zero construction findings. This success boosted Nooks’ credibility, accelerated market entry, and validated its CIaaS business model.
With a proactive approach to the ICD-705 updates, the A&D community can rethink how secure real estate is built and maintained, transforming what might seem like a regulatory hurdle into a strategic advantage.
