Aluminum coatings can provide galvanic cathodic protection for several metals and alloys. In order to be a suitable protective solution on structural components, the mechanical integrity must be preserved. In particular, the fatigue properties are a challenge for thermal spray protective coatings on mechanical structures. To address the issue of the fatigue integrity of 7075 aluminum alloy with an arc sprayed protective coating, different surface preparations prior to arc spraying were considered. In the present work, a feasibility study was performed using laser ablation as a surface preparation technique before or during arc spraying of coatings through collaboration between the LERMPS laboratory in France, the National Research Council of Canada and the Royal Military College of Canada. Both fatigue and adhesive properties of aluminum coatings were evaluated in relation to substrate surface preparation techniques including laser ablation (PROTAL® process), grit blasting and shot peening. Results indicate that a combination of key conditions including using nitrogen as the arc spray gas, shot peening and proper laser energy density for ablation provides high fatigue resistance of metallic coated 7075 alloy substrates. Specimens prepared under these conditions show a similar fatigue resistance to uncoated substrates. © Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.