Europe's #1 Partner for Defence Production Capacity

Building Defence Production Capacity in Europe. Fast, Secure, At Scale.

Europe's #1 partner for defence production, from first planning to stable operations.

An umbrella of battle-tested specialists spanning defence, IT, construction, and compliance. We serve programmes across the full spectrum: US defence localization in Europe, European rearmament programmes, VS-NfD and classified environments, and companies entering the defence market for the first time.

01
End-to-End Orchestration

Integrated delivery of facility, operations, IT/OT and digital infrastructure, orchestrated within one unified delivery model under one accountable partner.

02
Defence Production at Scale

Establishing and scaling production capabilities and resilient, transatlantic supply chains across Europe, from greenfield to serial production.

03
Secure, Compliant IT & Infrastructure

Defence-grade IT, processes and digital infrastructure, fully aligned with EU and US regulations including NIST, CMMC, ITAR and BSI IT-Grundschutz.

04
High-Performance Organization

Cross-functional teams built and enabled for rapid operational readiness, delivering scalable production from day one.

Schedule a Confidential Defence Conversation Industrial & Corporate
CUI-ATO in 8 Weeks
NIST SP800-171/53 · ISO 27001 · BSI · ITAR · DFARS
Greenfield & Brownfield
Programmes of Any Scale
DCCE Vision

Europe's leading partner for establishing defence production capabilities, fast, secure, and at scale.

01

We take end-to-end accountability across facility, operations, IT/OT, and digital infrastructure. As a trusted network of specialists, we are the single point of contact bridging US defence plans and European industrial reality.

02

We orchestrate the full tier-n supply chain, build compliant IT and digital infrastructure aligned with NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171/172, CMMC, ITAR, EAR, DFARS, ISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, and VS-NfD, and build the organizations and governance structures needed to run defence production compliantly and at scale.

03

We deliver production readiness at record speed, covering every layer from site infrastructure to trained workforce and compliant systems.

Factory as a Service

Defence Production Readiness

Modular, Combinable Service Building Blocks & Horizontal Layers

Every module is combinable, from a targeted compliance project to a full factory build-out. For a single capability or an integrated end-to-end delivery, DCCE is the one partner covering all interfaces: facility, IT/OT, supply chain, compliance and organization.
We connect the service building blocks with horizontal layers and create real added value for our customers.

Integration, Partner Network & End-to-End cooperation

Integration, Partner Network & End-to-End cooperation (KI-generiert)

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Use Cases

Selected use cases across the five phases.

Five phases, from the first contract draft to stable operations. Each use case can be engaged on its own or as part of the sequence; most programmes enter somewhere in the middle. Select a phase to see what we deliver there.

Phase 01 · Initiation
The contract decides the compliance of your production.

For suppliers and license manufacturers alike, what the contract states, or omits, takes effect across the entire product lifecycle. Later corrections to IT, security or buildings are expensive, slow and put schedules at risk.

Use Case 1.1
IT Compliance in Contract Design

Three regulatory strands shape every transatlantic cooperation: security standards define HOW protection works, contractual requirements define WHAT is demanded, export control defines WHO may access. Only their interplay produces compliance.

Objective

Enter negotiations with a defensible compliance position, before the contract locks in requirements for IT infrastructure, IT security, physical security and the production facility.

Compliance capability that can be evidenced is a precondition for award. The negotiation dynamic matters: US partners are experienced at setting up international supply relationships, and the entering party often negotiates from the weaker position.

Our Value Add
✓Compliance built into the design, so nothing has to be retrofitted later
✓One partner for IT, security and facility compliance, accountable end to end
✓Compliance considered from negotiation day one
✓Certified, field-tested expertise (incl. CISO, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor), specialized in transatlantic defence cooperation
Get in Touch
Our Approach
Review
Cooperation model, contract drafts and programme goals
Analysis
Derive compliance implications for IT, security and facility
Assessment
Effort, cost and risk per requirement
Position
Negotiation-ready and substantiated
Deep dives on US (NIST, CUI, ITAR, DFARS), EU (VS-NfD, GDPR) and international frameworks (ISO, export control, dual-use)
Strategy sparring, dry runs and devil's-advocate sessions; negotiation attendance, live coaching and background support
3
Regulatory strands: HOW (standards) · WHAT (contracts) · WHO (export control)
4
Impact fields: IT infrastructure, IT security, physical security, facility
97 (Rev. 3)
NIST SP 800-171 requirements for CUI protection
Phase 02 · Bid Phase
No approved environment, no data.
No data, no credible bid.

Sound bids are built on technical data: drawings, specifications, bills of material. That data is typically CUI and export-controlled, and the US partner releases it only to demonstrably secure recipients. Building a full NIST SP 800-171 environment before award is uneconomical, and the bid deadline leaves no room for a long infrastructure project.

Use Case 2.1
CUI 0.5 Area: Receive and Read Controlled Data

A small, shielded zone, separated physically and in the network, for receiving and reading CUI and export-controlled data. Deliberately scoped small while the award is still open, and built as the first expansion stage of the full environment.

Objective

Become able to receive and read controlled technical data within the bid deadline, without intervening in your regular processes and without overcommitting on investment.

Mistakes in handling ITAR data have serious consequences: access by an unauthorised person already counts as a deemed export.

Our Value Add
✓Operational from day one, so you can write CUI-based bids without waiting for infrastructure
✓Your regular business stays untouched: the area is shielded, existing IT and production run unchanged
✓Investment stays manageable while the award is open, with expansion only when needed
✓Architecture, controls and evidence grow with you, up to a full environment
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Scoping
Data types, group of persons, transfer route and room; site walk-through to confirm the area can carry the requirements
Design
Network segment, access control, controls and logging; sign-off of the technical setup incl. procurement
Build
Implementation plus policies and evidence documents (SSP basis)
Release
Alignment with the US side, onboarding, training and handover
Guardrails: named access only, read-only principle, consistent CUI/ITAR marking, and every transfer logged with hash, classification and purpose
Proven transfer routes with US-side approval: OASIS, EXOSTAR, CDE (IPsec tunnel) and managed file transfer
0.5
Deliberately small scope while the award is open
4
Proven transfer routes, approved by the US side
8 wks
To ATO for the full environment (reference approach from real programmes)
Use Case 2.2
VS 0.5 Area: The Same Principle for National Programmes

The same architecture pattern, aligned to German classification: the protected asset is classified material at VS-NfD level.

Objective

Establish an equivalent, evidenced capability for national and European programmes, without building a second, parallel architecture next to the transatlantic one.

Our Value Add
✓One architecture pattern covering both regulatory worlds
✓Reusable controls, documentation and evidence structures
✓No duplicate build-out for national and transatlantic programmes
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Same architecture principles: small zone, named access, complete logging, scalability
Alignment to the applicable VS-NfD requirements for IT, room and organization
Same four steps (scoping, design, build, release) with national release and evidence processes
Phase 03 · Production Build-Up & Ramp-Up
IT belongs on the critical path.

The contracts are signed and the first technical data is flowing. Plant build-up, IT build-up and compliance evidence now run in parallel, the partner's ramp-up schedule sets the pace, and the ATO is the gate for production start. Without secure, compliant IT there is no data release, and without data there is no production.

Use Case 3.1
Secure Full-Stack Environment and the Path to ATO

The encapsulated environment is the foundation. Controlled data is processed there, separated, secured and evidence-capable, from receipt through to the shopfloor.

Objective

Build the secure environment and carry the evidence through to ATO, without disturbing the running business and fast enough for the partner's ramp-up schedule.

Defence-grade full-stack experience is scarce: hardware, data centers, ERP/PLM/MES and OT all have to fit together and every building block has to be evidence-capable.

Our Value Add
✓Controlled data stays inside the secured environment, all the way to the shopfloor
✓One partner for advice and delivery, with our own experts for infrastructure, systems and OT
✓Evidence built as you implement, ready on the day the audit comes
✓Hypercare through the ramp-up, with accountability up to the running system
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Target picture & design
Architecture of the secure environment, system landscape and factory IT
Build
Hardware selection and sizing, data center build-up or relocation, networks and shopfloor connection
Integration & evidence
Systems and processes live, SSP and evidence built as a by-product of implementation
Ramp-up & ATO
Obtain release, start production, hand over in an orderly way
Risk-based control prioritisation: access, segmentation and incident response first; multi-regulation design so one control satisfies NIST, CMMC and ITAR at once
Audit-first: every control designed so a third party can verify it
8 wks
Secure CUI environment to ATO (reference approach)
100 %
Controlled: data stays in the secured environment
1
Accountable partner across the full stack, hardware to MES
Use Case 3.2
Compliant Implementation of ERP, PLM and MES

We implement the core production systems inside the secure environment and define the business processes that go with them. Process definition and system implementation come from one team.

Objective

Get PLM, ERP/WMS and MES productive on the released data state, with compliant interfaces into the secure environment and defined processes around them.

Our Value Add
✓End-to-end integration: product, production and service data synchronised across the lifecycle
✓Full traceability of BOM and material data across all processes
✓Optimized production planning and resource control
✓Architecture extensible to after-sales and service
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
PLM
Controlled adoption of the partner's EBOM, derivation of the MBOM, CUI-compliant marking and access control
ERP / WMS
Order, material and warehouse processes down to parts and picklists
MES
Work instructions and workflows at the line, feeding production and quality data back as the basis for as-built reporting
Template-driven design, fit/gap analysis against the to-be processes, backlog prioritisation and iterative implementation
Continuous validation with key users, UAT before go-live, train-the-trainer, hypercare and migration support
Reference architectures with Siemens Teamcenter and SAP S/4HANA, including MTO/CTO variant configuration
Use Case 3.3
Shopfloor Connectivity, OT Security and IT in Factory Planning

Operational technology is delivered under the same security standards as IT, and IT requirements are anchored in the construction plan while the hall is still on the drawing board.

Objective

Connect machines and plants to MES and the data platform without opening the perimeter, and get server locations, cable routes and security zones into the building plan before construction starts.

Our Value Add
✓No expensive retrofits into finished halls, no disruption of the ramp-up
✓Compliance requirements (zones, access, separation) built in at the cheapest possible moment
✓IT and facility planning from one hand: no interface losses between trades
✓Availability respected: OT work happens in agreed production windows
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Segmented OT networks, cleanly separated from IT and the outside world, with controlled transitions between zones
Machine and plant connection to MES and the data platform; sensors and control systems integrated
OT hardening, monitoring and incident processes for the shopfloor, evidence-capable within the ATO
Automated data and material flows at the line as the basis for transparency during ramp-up
Factory planning from an IT perspective: server rooms, network distribution, cable trays, media routing and security zones fixed in the construction plan
Phase 04 · Data & Change Management
The ATO applies to a defined state.
Every change moves it.

Product changes from the partner arrive continuously, systems get patched and extended, roles and access shift. The risk lies in the changes that happen without control. And every downstream process depends on the data that arrives being complete, correctly classified and traceable.

Use Case 4.1
Change Management: Master Change, Keep the ATO

Controlled change is one of the overlapping core requirements across NIST SP 800-171, DFARS and ITAR. Our answer is a closed loop that carries every change from one compliant state to the next.

Objective

Keep the evidenced state identical to the real state, so the ATO basis stays stable and audits do not surface drift.

Without control, reality diverges from the approved baseline: audit findings, in the worst case loss of the ATO basis and a delivery stop, or misclassified data and export violations.

Our Value Add
✓The line always produces to the released state, with every change adopted automatically
✓Every change traceable, with the compliance assessment completed before implementation
✓Audit-proof evidence without manual documentation effort
✓One loop for IT, OT and product data that does not slow the line down
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Baseline
Hardened, documented standard configurations for IT and OT as the defined target state
Change
A formal request for every change, with impact on CUI, export control and ATO assessed before implementation
Approval
Authorized stakeholders decide, taking production windows and OT coordination into account
Evidence
Logs, approvals and change history generated automatically; the baseline is rewritten after each change
Product changes run through defined interfaces from PLM to ERP/WMS to MES, with a compliance gate before they take effect
Automated detection of deviations between target and actual state; access and role changes run through the same control
0
Uncontrolled changes to the compliant system (the goal)
100 %
Of changes traceable, with a compliance gate before implementation
− 40 %
Manual documentation and review effort through automation (target)
Use Case 4.2
Data Management: One Master Data Flow, Full Traceability

In contract manufacturing you are typically obliged to build an exact copy of the owner's data in your own systems, for the initial data set and for every engineering change that arrives daily, across structured and unstructured formats.

Objective

Keep data integrity along every downstream process, from receipt through engineering, purchasing, logistics and production to as-built reporting, matching the exact physical actions.

Two geographies mean two sets of rules: export control, data protection and defence confidentiality apply on both sides, and the contracting parties' IT landscapes rarely match.

Our Value Add
✓Integrated, automated processes where the industry still relies on high headcount
✓Full traceability to prove as-designed, as-planned and as-built integrity in audits
✓No breach of contract, and therefore no penalties or supplier rating drops
✓Cross-department data processes without silos, so issues get resolved quickly
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Design the target picture backwards from the final data consumers: capture the required final data points, then derive data model and architecture requirements
Architecture decision
We recommend a central data hub as single source of truth over point-to-point interfaces, which scales and suits analytics and AI
Route A for individual files via secured exchange platforms, Route B via IPsec tunnel and custom workflows for large structured data sets
ETL tooling picks up new data automatically and transforms it into readable formats before integration; BI and custom reporting deliver standardized reports per production unit, including as-built
Data quality assured by a cross-departmental change process and reconciliation checkpoints; data ownership and governance defined per domain
Gap analysis between actual and target, with remaining work documented as a backlog
Phase 05 · Operations & Optimization
Help you help yourself.
Your independence is the goal.

The environment stands, the ATO is granted, production is ramping. Knowledge, processes and evidence still sit largely with the project team, and compliance that was only lived inside the project erodes in everyday operations. The transition follows a plan with agreed criteria.

Use Case 5.1
From Project to Operations: Transition and Operating Model

A stable operation under all compliance requirements, run by your own organization, with the operating model designed around how your organization actually works.

Objective

Turn project mode into reliable regular operations before knowledge leaves the building with the project team, and before responsibilities and escalation paths turn out not to be anchored anywhere.

Our Value Add
✓Knowledge and responsibility stay in your house, with no dependency on the project team
✓We hand over what we built ourselves: no onboarding, no loss of architecture history
✓We remain a defined escalation path for as long as you want one
✓Direct connection to the change control loop from Phase 04
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Transition planning
Scope, roles, criteria and schedule of the handover
Operating model design
Across five layers: governance and strategy (service strategy, SLAs/OLAs, KPIs, budget), ITIL-aligned processes, organization and roles (service desk L1, specialist support L2, specialists L3, service owner, clear RACI), tools (ITSM platform, CMDB, monitoring, knowledge base, self-service) and partner sourcing with defined escalation paths
Enablement
In four stages: shadowing, side-by-side hypercare, guided independence, regular operations. Stage changes follow agreed criteria such as resolution rate, throughput times and audit capability
Handover
Operations manual and runbooks, audit-proof documentation (SSP, evidence, change history), maintained knowledge base and training materials
100 %
Knowledge and responsibility in your own organization
− 25 %
Operating cost through standardisation and automation (target)
4
Transition stages, each with agreed exit criteria
Use Case 5.2
Sustained Compliance: Monitoring, Audits and Supply Chain

Compliance is an ongoing task. Personnel change, software updates break configurations, new suppliers enter the chain. Sustainment is what keeps a compliant state compliant.

Objective

Hold the ATO permanently and stay audit-ready out of daily operations, catching compliance drift before it becomes a finding.

Our Value Add
✓Internal checks surface weaknesses early, so audits need no fire drill
✓Instant visibility that replaces manual evidence collection, reducing the administrative load on your IT team
✓Standardisation as the primary scaling lever, with blueprints and templates cutting initial setup time substantially
✓Liability under control: flow-down requirements verified across every sub-tier
Get in Touch→
Our Approach
Governance
Clear ownership across owner, approver, operator and auditor roles; policy review cadence, documented exception handling and a central risk register
Continuous monitoring
Access metrics, patch status, logging health, time to detect and time to respond, so drift is visible without manual data gathering
Supplier compliance
Tiered by CUI exposure: certification and annual audits at the top tier, NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment and flow-down clauses in the middle, basic safeguarding at the bottom, moving from self-certification to evidence-based verification
Audit readiness
As routine: internal audit cadences and a pre-audit evidence pack with traceability from requirement to evidence
Scaling
Via a master blueprint of standardized security architecture and reusable control workflows, reused across sites and suppliers
Recurring assessments (incl. NIST SP 800-171, CMMC) and DFARS reporting duties served from operations, practised and anchored in the service desk
24/7
Continuous monitoring of operations and compliance status
3
Supplier tiers by CUI exposure, with matching requirements
1
Master blueprint, reused across sites and suppliers
Deep Dive
New Entrant & Defence Startup: from zero to CUI capability in 8 weeks

For companies entering the defence market for the first time: the full fast-track path, week by week.

→
Deep Dive Use Case

From zero to CUI capability.
In 8 weeks.

What it looks like when we start together.

The Starting Point
Situation
A European company receives an enquiry from the US. To submit a proposal, CUI data, including technical drawings and sensitive engineering documents, must be received and processed securely. Without the right IT environment, there is no cooperation.
The Challenge
The company needs a NIST SP 800-171-compliant IT infrastructure, secure reception and storage structures for classified data, and an Approval to Operate (ATO) from the US partner, before a single file can be transferred.
Our Response
We bring proven blueprints. In 8 weeks the company is operational: CUI-compliant, approved and ready to act. The scope is a precisely dimensioned Minimum Viable Environment that scales as the business does.
✓
Limited Initial Investment
✓
Calculable Risk
✓
Fast Market Access
✓
Immediate Operability
Week 1–2
Assessment & Blueprint
Gap analysis against NIST SP 800-171, requirements capture, selection and adaptation of the CUI environment blueprint to your situation.
Week 3–5
Infrastructure Build
Deployment of the compliant IT environment, configuration to NIST controls, system hardening, security architecture implementation.
Week 6–7
Validation & Documentation
System Security Plan (SSP), evidence package and POA&M: everything the US partner needs for the ATO decision. Preparation of the approval process.
Week 8
Approval to Operate
ATO granted. You can compliantly receive, store and process CUI data, and begin the cooperation.
About Us

The network behind the result.

DCCE works differently from a consultancy or a classic system integrator. We are a cooperative network of hand-picked defence specialists, united under single accountability and one shared standard: we are measured on what we deliver.

Every cooperation partner brings proven defence experience. We connect the service building blocks and horizontal layers: technology and people, IT and operations, US requirements and European reality. Our iterative approach ensures every programme remains plannable from the first CUI environment to a complete production line.

Transparency is our operating principle. Regular assessments and clear approvals keep all parties informed, and C-Level receives what it needs in order to decide.

01

Hand-Picked Specialists

Every cooperation partner is carefully selected. We work with specialists and we do not staff learning projects. Proven defence expertise is a prerequisite for joining the network.

02

Iterative Approach as Success Formula

From first Minimum Viable Environment to full build-out: we scale your defence capability step by step, with clear milestones and manageable risk at every stage.

03

Single-Point Accountability

One contact and clear decision structures across all cooperation partners. No hidden interfaces that become liability traps.

04

Compliance as Competitive Advantage

Mastering NIST, ITAR and ISO 27001 creates a competitive edge. We design compliance so that it enables business.

Start a confidential conversation

Compliance requirements.
New defence business.
Production or IT build-out.

If you are facing one of these challenges, speak with us. We analyze your situation and identify concrete, proven paths forward.

Discuss your next step.

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