Defense Traceability Solutions for CMMC and ITAR-Compliant Parts Tracking
KnarrTek's defense traceability solutions — the BellHawk and MilramX platforms — give defense contractors and their suppliers CMMC compliance software and ITAR compliance software that tracks serialized parts, secure equipment, and sensitive materials by barcode and RFID from receipt through shipment. Every scan writes to one auditable record, so serial and lot genealogy, export-control markings, and compliance documentation are ready before a program office, prime, or C3PAO assessor ever asks for them — whether the facility runs on-premise, fully air-gapped, or offline, without depending on a live connection to a cloud server.
What is defense traceability software?
Defense traceability solutions are systems that combine manufacturing execution (MES) and warehouse management (WMS) functions to track serialized parts, secure equipment, and sensitive or controlled materials by serial and lot number, from receipt through program issue and shipment. KnarrTek delivers this through two connected platforms: BellHawk, which captures barcode, RFID, and secure mobile scan data at every handling step, and MilramX, which layers rules-based automation and ERP/PLM integration on top of that data. Together they address the three pressures that generic inventory spreadsheets cannot: CMMC and ITAR recordkeeping obligations, counterfeit and non-conforming parts risk, and deployment environments that range from a networked plant floor to a fully air-gapped facility.
Automated Serial Capture
Barcode, RFID, and secure mobile scans record part, lot, and program data the moment material is handled — not from a written log entered later.
MES and WMS in One System
Production execution and warehouse inventory share one database, so a part's genealogy and its stock movements are always the same record.
CMMC & ITAR-Aware Controls
Automated checks run at each step, flagging non-conforming or counterfeit parts before they move downstream and keeping an audit trail behind every serial.
Flexible, Secure Deployment
Runs on-premise, air-gapped, or with offline store-and-forward scanning, so classified and controlled environments aren't forced onto a live cloud connection.
Where compliance and traceability break down
Most defense contractors already have quality procedures on paper. What they lack is a system that keeps those procedures current with an evolving regulatory framework, fast enough to answer a program audit in real time, and connected enough that a spreadsheet edit in one department doesn't silently go stale in another — all without exposing controlled data to an unnecessary network connection.
CMMC Requirements in Transition
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program sets the cybersecurity controls DoD contractors must meet, and its self-assessment and third-party certification requirements are being actively phased in and revised. A traceability system built around fixed compliance checkpoints has to be reconfigured every time the timeline changes.
Current CMMC status & requirements →ITAR Export Control Exposure
The U.S. Munitions List and related export-control exemptions are updated periodically, changing which items and transfers require authorization. Every serialized part and shipment needs an accurate export-control marking tied to whichever regulation is in force at the time it moves.
Understand the current ITAR →DFARS & NIST 800-171 Baseline
DFARS clause 252.204-7012 requires safeguarding covered defense information against the 110 controls in NIST SP 800-171 — the security baseline CMMC layers certification on top of, and the recordkeeping burden it already implies.
Counterfeit Parts Risk
Government auditors have documented weaknesses in the defense supply chain's ability to detect counterfeit electronic parts before they reach an assembly (GAO-12-375, GAO-16-236), making serial-level provenance a genealogy problem, not just a receiving-inspection checklist.
Fragmented Serial Records
Paper logs and disconnected spreadsheets scatter the serial and lot genealogy that CMMC self-assessment, ITAR audits, and prime contractor flow-down requirements all depend on.
Air-Gapped & Disconnected Facilities
Classified and controlled-access facilities often can't run a continuously connected cloud system, but still need every scan captured and synchronized once connectivity is available.
What BellHawk defense traceability software does
BellHawk is defense traceability software built for serialized-parts environments, merging manufacturing execution and warehouse management functionality behind one barcode, RFID, and secure mobile scan data layer.
Inventory Management
Track parts, equipment, and materials by serial, lot, and location using barcode and RFID for real-time visibility that prevents stockouts of program-critical items.
RFID Asset Tracking
Hands-free identification of secure equipment and high-value assets across a facility, reducing manual scan steps in controlled-access areas.
Quality Assurance
Enforce CMMC- and ITAR-aware checks automatically, keep tamper-evident records, and hold non-conforming or counterfeit-flagged parts before they move to the next stage.
Labeling Solutions
Generate export-marked labels, including MIL-STD-130 unique item identification (UID) marking, that pull serial and program data directly from the record on file, keeping printed labels in sync with what was actually shipped.
IIoT Integration
Connect RFID readers, secure mobile devices, and line sensors for granular real-time data that supports predictive maintenance and tighter process control.
Project Monitoring
Track program orders and mission kits from issue through shipment, giving program managers a live view of on-time delivery against every open order.
From serialized part receipt to compliance record
Serialized parts, secure equipment, and sensitive or controlled materials are scanned by barcode, RFID, and secure mobile devices into the BellHawk MES/WMS engine as they move through the facility. BellHawk confirms CMMC and ITAR checks, records serial and lot genealogy, flags counterfeit or non-conforming parts, applies export-control markings, and captures the operator and clearance timestamp behind every scan. That record feeds the BellHawk compliance database, which drives real-time inventory balances and export-marked labels, and in turn supports traceability, CMMC and ITAR compliance, counterfeit prevention, and selected updates to ERP and PLM systems.
- Barcode, RFID, and secure mobile scanning at receipt, program assignment, and shipment.
- CMMC and ITAR checks run in real time against every part as it moves through the facility.
- Export-control markings applied automatically at the part and container level, not typed in per label.
- Counterfeit and non-conforming parts held before they reach the next handling step.
- Secure mobile scanners and an offline-capable interface keep work moving without a live connection.
- Selected program data synchronized to ERP and PLM systems on your schedule.
What happens to a serialized lot
Each of these stages is a real sequence a BellHawk-enabled facility follows, and each one writes something to the traceability record. Identifiers are captured before a part is issued to a program, so every downstream event — an assembly, a pack, a shipment — has somewhere to attach.
Receive & Verify
Incoming serialized lots are scanned, their certificate of analysis is checked, and a counterfeit-parts check clears the lot before it enters inventory.
Program Assignment
Parts are issued to a program order by serial number, with operator identity, clearance, and assembly genealogy captured at the moment of issue.
Pack & Ship
Finished kits are packed, export-marked, and shipped, with units shipped compared against units issued to produce an on-time delivery figure.
Deployment flexibility for secure facilities
Not every defense facility can or should run a continuously connected cloud system. BellHawk and MilramX support three deployment shapes, so the traceability system fits the facility's security posture instead of the other way around.
On-Premise Deployment
Runs entirely on hardware inside your facility, so day-to-day scanning, lookups, and reporting never depend on the public internet. For classified or controlled-access environments, this can be configured as fully air-gapped — meaning the facility's network has no physical or logical connection to the internet or any outside network at all, not just no cloud dependency.
Offline & Store-and-Forward
Mobile scanners keep capturing serial and lot data even when a network connection drops, then synchronize automatically once connectivity returns.
Hybrid Cloud
Combines an on-premise system of record with selected cloud connectivity for reporting and ERP sync, where a facility's security requirements allow it.
Where MilramX extends BellHawk with automation
MilramX pairs with BellHawk to add rules-based automation and system integration for defense contractors running on the Microsoft ecosystem. It connects BellHawk's serial and inventory data to ERP, PLM, and program-office portals, converts raw feeds into structured High-Level Data Objects for fast analysis, and flags disruptions such as delayed part shipments or missing compliance checks as they happen. For teams that need one automation layer across systems rather than several disconnected tools, MilramX functions as an operations dashboard sitting on top of BellHawk's traceability data.
- Intelligent automation. Agent-based scheduling handles routine alerts and data transfers without manual follow-up.
- Data integration. Pulls from ERP, PLM, and program-office systems into unified High-Level Data Objects.
- Operations dashboard. Real-time view of program orders, shipments, and on-time delivery drawn from barcode and RFID data.
- Error management. Built-in detection and escalation keeps compliance checks moving with minimal downtime.
- Adaptable integration. Connects to ERP, CRM, and other systems for tailored, systemwide connectivity.
- Encrypted and auditable. Serial and program data stay protected while remaining available for CMMC and ITAR audits.
Benefits of KnarrTek's defense traceability solutions
Used together as CMMC and ITAR compliance software, BellHawk and MilramX address the core pressures defense contractors face: an evolving certification framework, counterfeit and non-conforming parts risk, and the manual effort of proving a part was handled the way it was documented.
Real-Time Visibility
Immediate visibility into stock, serialized parts, and shipments helps speed up program deliveries and reduce delays.
Reduced Manual Overhead
Fewer manual errors and less time spent reconstructing records by hand support leaner compliance operations without adding headcount.
CMMC & ITAR Compliance
Automated checks and complete records support the self-assessed controls in force today and position a facility for third-party certification once Phase 2 resumes.
Error Prevention
Barcode and RFID confirmation at every step catches mistakes before they reach the next stage of handling or shipment.
Supply Chain Integration
Connected systems give program and production teams a shared, current view of part supply and status.
Audit Readiness
Serial-level genealogy turns an audit or program review into a query against recorded data instead of a multi-day manual investigation.
Two ways defense traceability solutions are deployed
BellHawk and MilramX support a range of deployment shapes. These are representative patterns rather than a specific contractor's results, described so you can recognize which one resembles your own operation.
Program parts tracked by serial through assembly
Operators issue parts against a program order, with each serial scanned and recorded against the assembly before it moves to the next station.
An assembly line runs one station with a barcode or RFID scanner and a secure mobile device. The operator scans the program order, then each part's serial number as it is issued; BellHawk records the serial against the assembly and confirms the part cleared its counterfeit and CMMC checks before it can be used. The finished kit is scanned into a labeled container that carries its identity through packing and shipment.
Issue accuracy against the program order, elimination of hand-written part logs, and a complete serial and lot genealogy for every kit shipped.
Full traceability without a live network connection
Every scan is captured locally and synchronized once connectivity is available, so a disconnected facility loses no traceability data.
A controlled-access facility runs BellHawk on an isolated internal network, with mobile scanners using store-and-forward capture where a station has no live connection at all. Serial, lot, and operator data queue locally and synchronize automatically the next time the device reaches the network, while MilramX watches for missed compliance checks across the facility once data lands.
Continuous traceability capture regardless of connectivity, reduced reliance on manual paper backup procedures, and a single synchronized record once systems reconnect.
These are representative application patterns, not guaranteed outcomes. Actual results depend on facility layout, hardware and network conditions, process design, implementation scope, data quality, integrations, procedures, training, and user adoption.
Three ways to run defense traceability software
BellHawk and MilramX are the technology underneath KnarrTek's product line, but they're delivered to defense contractors as three packaged options. Which one fits depends on how much of your operation runs through the system, how you need to deploy it, and how much automation you want around exceptions.
BellHawk Online
Browser-based real-time tracking for inventory, materials, barcode scans, and production activity, without replacing your ERP or accounting platform. For defense operations without air-gap requirements, part receipts, program issues, and shipment movement are visible the moment they're scanned, with no local server to maintain.
WIPtracker
In-plant MES and WMS control covering production tracking, warehouse management, quality assurance, labeling, barcode and RFID, and materials traceability — the deeper on-site foundation defense manufacturers use for serial genealogy in air-gapped or controlled-access facilities.
SmartOps24x7
ERP integration and smart operations monitoring built around KnarrTek's MilramX agents, adding rules-based alerts, 24/7 system oversight, and automated data exchange across connected software environments. As an operations dashboard, it keeps alerts, audits, and ERP synchronization running continuously across every connected system.
Serial traceability is one part of a larger record
BellHawk's defense traceability software works alongside the other ways KnarrTek collects data at the point of work. Most defense deployments combine two or three of these.
Real-Time WIP Tracking
Work-in-process visibility across sites, so a part's status is always current wherever it sits in production.
WIP trackingInventory & Asset Tracking
Accurate inventory and asset visibility across the facility, the record that every serial transaction posts into.
Inventory trackingRFID Inventory System
Hands-free identification that streamlines and automates inventory tracking where barcode scanning alone is impractical.
RFID trackingTrack & Trace Materials
Traceability software for serial and lot genealogy from receiving to shipping, linking every incoming part to the assembly it became.
Materials traceabilityMaterials Flow & Job Tracking
Movement and job progress monitored throughout production, giving serial transactions their operational context.
Job trackingAerospace Traceability Solutions
The same serial-level traceability approach adapted for aerospace parts, certifications, and program requirements.
Aerospace traceabilityCommon questions about compliance and traceability
Practical answers about CMMC, ITAR, and what BellHawk and MilramX actually track once a serialized part starts moving.
What is defense traceability software?
Is CMMC certification currently required?
Does this help with ITAR compliance?
How does this relate to DFARS and NIST SP 800-171?
Does it support barcode and RFID, or do we have to choose one?
What happens when a counterfeit or non-conforming part is detected?
Can this run in an air-gapped or offline facility?
What's the difference between BellHawk and MilramX?
Can this integrate with our existing ERP or PLM system?
How does this help prevent counterfeit parts from reaching an assembly?
What does implementation typically involve?
Stop reconstructing compliance records after the fact.
Start with the facility or compliance gap causing you the most trouble. KnarrTek's defense traceability solutions team can help map your parts, programs, serial records, labels, and integrations needed to turn barcode, RFID, and secure mobile scans into a traceable, audit-ready compliance record — on-premise, air-gapped, or hybrid.
