December 2025: New Standards Advance Aircraft & Space Engineering

A new wave of standards is reshaping the field of aircraft and space vehicle engineering this December 2025. Part 3 of our coverage spotlights five newly released standards emphasizing metallurgy, material qualification, and critical electrical contacts, as well as guidelines for uncrewed aircraft (UAS) traffic management. These specifications are set to redefine best practices, bolster safety, and ensure future-ready compliance, making it essential for aerospace professionals to stay updated.

The December publication features authoritative updates and new releases from CEN and ISO, impacting everything from material procurement to advanced electrical interconnections. Here’s what you need to know about the latest changes shaping your projects and operations.

Overview / Introduction

In the realm of aircraft and space vehicle engineering, standards play a pivotal role in safeguarding safety, reliability, and performance—from raw material acquisition to final system assembly. The December 2025 release brings crucial updates and additions, covering:

• Quality requirements for steel and heat-resistant alloys in forgings
• Specifications for remelting stocks
• Modern traffic management guidelines for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) or drones
• Product standards for advanced aerospace electrical contacts

Whether you’re a compliance manager, design engineer, or procurement specialist, understanding these standards will drive smoother certification, reduce operational risk, and bolster your organization’s market standing.

Detailed Standards Coverage

EN 4700-006:2025 - Pre-Production and Production Forgings

Aerospace series - Steel and heat-resisting alloys for wrought products - Technical specification - Part 006: Pre-production and production forgings

This standard is essential for anyone involved in the production or procurement of steel and heat-resisting alloy forgings for aerospace use. It details the requirements for ordering, manufacturing, testing, inspection, and delivery of pre-production and production forgings.

Key points include:

• Strict guidelines for wording of orders, production routes, and delivery conditions
• Health and safety requirements aligning with the latest legislation for aerospace materials
• Comprehensive technical clauses covering qualification, requalification, release, and process control testing
• Section on traceability to ensure full material and process documentation
• Updates to normative references, integrating advanced ASTM and SAE test methods
• Enhanced statistical process control directives

Organizations—especially aerospace manufacturing and maintenance firms—must comply to guarantee material integrity and safety compliance for all critical parts. Notable changes over the 2010 edition include updates to referenced standards and amendments to acceptance criteria tables.

Key highlights:

• Enforces robust process control and documentation
• Incorporates new international test methods (ASTM, SAE)
• Clarifies qualification and retesting procedures

Access the full standard:View EN 4700-006:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 4700-007:2025 - Remelting Stocks

Aerospace series - Steel and heat-resisting alloys for wrought products - Technical specification - Part 007: Remelting stocks

EN 4700-007:2025 focuses on requirements for ordering, manufacturing, and delivering steel and heat-resisting alloy remelting stock. These are foundational materials, often forming the basis for critical aerospace components.

Scope includes:

• Specifications for different stock forms (cast, granules, wrought)
• Guidelines on batch traceability and documentation
• Detailed qualification, test, and retest protocols
• Procedures for handling non-conformances and batch rejection
• Health and safety provisions for all delivery conditions
• Integration with EN material standards and override hierarchies

The 2025 update refines test references (notably ASTM E340 and E381), augments qualification cycle details, and stresses material cleanness and composition control.

Relevant for metallic material suppliers, aerospace OEMs, and QA departments, this standard ensures only conforming, traceable materials enter the supply chain.

Key highlights:

• Expanded procedures for batch qualification and rejection
• Enhanced cleanness and traceability requirements
• Updated normative and test references for remelt materials

Access the full standard:View EN 4700-007:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/TR 23310:2025 - Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Traffic Management

Uncrewed aircraft systems - UAS traffic management (UTM) - Study on functional and performance requirements for UTM systems

This Technical Report delivers a comprehensive international survey and technical analysis of operational frameworks for UAS traffic management (UTM), applicable to both civil and commercial drone operations. Key content includes:

• Taxonomy of UTM stakeholders, services, actors, functions, and data flows
• Functional and performance requirements for core and advanced UTM systems
• Cross-references to ICAO, ASTM, and other international UTM guidelines
• Detailed requirements for safety, security, and data management integrity
• Analysis of country-by-country and regional regulatory implementations

ISO/TR 23310:2025 is indispensable for airspace authorities, UAS service providers, and solution vendors. It serves as a global baseline, promoting safe and efficient UAS integration with traditional airspace participants.

Key highlights:

• In-depth mapping of UTM system components and data models
• Focus on safety-critical and information security requirements
• Comparative overview of global and national UTM deployments

Access the full standard:View ISO/TR 23310:2025 on iTeh Standards

FprEN 3155-015 - Female Electrical Contacts, Type A, Crimp, Class S

Aerospace series - Electrical contacts used in elements of connection - Part 015: Contacts, electrical, female 015, type A, crimp, class S - Product standard

This product standard outlines required characteristics, testing protocols, and tooling for female 015 Type A crimp contacts, Class S, used within aerospace connection elements. The update is paired with EN 3155-001 and compatible with corresponding male contacts per EN 3155-014.

Content includes:

• Dimensional, material, and surface treatment requirements
• Marking guides and acceptable cable types
• Approved crimping, insertion, and extraction tools
• Rigorous test suite: resistance, insulation, mechanical endurance, and fluid/ozone resistance
• Updated figures for smoother transition at the crimp-barrel area

Primarily relevant for connector manufacturers, avionics engineers, and electrical QA specialists, this standard assures product performance and interoperability within complex aerospace systems.

Key highlights:

• Enhanced transition geometry for contact size 20
• Comprehensive test coverage (electrical, mechanical, environmental)
• Strict crimping and cable compatibility guidelines

Access the full standard:View FprEN 3155-015 on iTeh Standards

FprEN 3155-017 - Female Electrical Contacts, Relay Base, Type A, Crimp, Class P

Aerospace series - Electrical contacts used in elements of connection - Part 017: Contacts, electrical, relay base, female 017, type A, crimp, class P - Product standard

This standard specifies the required characteristics, tests, and tooling for female relay base contacts, Type A, Class P, in aerospace connection elements. Used in relay bases per EN 3155-002, it aligns with EN 3155-001 for full specification and interface standardization.

Highlights include:

• Dimensional, material, and surface treatment requirements
• Operating temperature range (-65°C to +125°C)
• Updated normative references and contact size expansion (now includes size 20)
• Extensive mechanical, electrical, and environmental test protocols
• Marking, cable type, and insertion/removal tooling requirements

Aimed at component suppliers, avionics integrators, and maintenance teams, FprEN 3155-017 ensures fit, form, and function in aerospace relay base assemblies.

Key highlights:

• Introduction of new contact size, expanding application range
• Editorial updates for clarity and maintainability
• Adoption of latest electrical/mechanical test protocols

Access the full standard:View FprEN 3155-017 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The December 2025 standards release delivers sweeping changes for the aerospace engineering supply chain.

Key impacts:

• Manufacturers and suppliers must update their internal procedures, material certifications, and quality management systems
• Procurement teams must specify the latest standard versions in contracts by mid-2026
• Engineering teams need to ensure all design references, tooling, and test plans align with the updated requirements
• Electrical and systems integrators benefit from improved reliability and compatibility in connection elements
• UAS solution providers and aviation authorities can harmonize UTM technical frameworks for global operations

Compliance deadlines: Most CEN standards require withdrawal of conflicting standards by June 2026, demanding prompt action from organizations.

Benefits of adoption:

• Enhanced product and operational safety
• Reduced risk of supply chain non-compliance
• Streamlined certification with major aviation authorities
• Future-proofing for advanced aerospace technologies

Risks of non-compliance:

• Production delays from unqualified materials or components
• Loss of customer and regulatory approvals
• Higher costs from late-stage redesign or requalification

Technical Insights

Across these standards, several technical themes emerge:

• Traceability: Mandated at every stage, from alloy melts and remelts, through forging, to final electrical contact assembly.
• Testing Regimes: Expanded to cover more scenarios, including stress-rupture, fatigue, macro- and micro-structural analyses, and advanced electronic resistance measurements.
• Tooling: Specifications for crimping and insertion/extraction tools mitigate connection failure risk in assemblies.
• Process Controls: Statistical process control (SPC) and capability clauses offer risk-based options for release testing, optimizing both safety and efficiency.
• Functional Safety and Security (UAS/UTM): Emphasis on information security, data integrity, availability, and safety-critical operations reflects the rising complexity of airspace management.

Implementation best practices:

1. Review and integrate updated standards into design and procurement workflows immediately.
2. Conduct gap assessments on current practices versus new requirements.
3. Update internal procedures, quality assurance plans, and training materials.
4. Engage with supply chain partners and clients to align expectations.
5. Participate in early certification and testing programs to streamline validation.

Testing and certification considerations:

• Ensure laboratories and external auditors use referenced test methods.
• Leverage statistical evidence for capability clause utilization, where permitted.
• Maintain clear documentation for all batches, process controls, and qualification campaigns.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The December 2025 set of aircraft and space vehicle engineering standards introduces significant advancements for the sector, raising the bar for materials, safety, and interoperability. Organizations must act swiftly to incorporate these standards into their workflows, ensuring compliance before regulatory deadlines.

Recommendations:

• Download and review the full texts via iTeh Standards for authoritative guidance
• Schedule cross-functional team briefings to assess compliance impacts
• Prioritize training for engineering and QA staff on new test and documentation requirements
• Monitor additional Parts 4 and 5 as they publish in this ongoing standards update series

Explore the complete range of updates and access the latest standards at iTeh Standards. Stay ahead in quality, safety, and compliance by integrating these essentials into your aerospace projects today.