New Methods for Corrosion Prevention of Military Items

Military missions and their success is mainly achieved by the performance of logistics. To have the right material in the needed place at the required time was and is the task of logistical units. But what if all these vital tasks have been achieved and the material doesn't work?

In today’s changed roles of military mobility, which stretches all over the globe, military planners and commanders will have to take into consideration, which environmental influences could render equipment useless. To prepare for and protect from detrimental influences for military material and equipment is becoming a task that has to be taken into consideration from the date of purchase throughout the total lifespan of the items.

Not only are the changed construction of materials an issue, also obsolescence management is a key responsibility.

Modern day military equipment consists of a large amount of electronic components, which are prone to corrosive influences caused by climatic conditions and atmospheric pollution.

Switches, conductors and PCB’s have decreased in size and are affected by the slight environmental changes.

What about a superior weapons systems of multi million dollar value which fails due to a PCB valued at a couple of hundred dollars being corroded, or been destroyed by ESD? Can one take the risk?

The same is true for mechanical components, which have become much more miniaturized, and of closer tolerance.

Any corrosion can lead to malfunction!

Traditional preservation methods based on oil, waxes, foil, VCI amongst others have not provided the overall usable protection that military missions require today, and none provide adequate ESD protection for parts containing electronics. Millions of Dollars are wasted each year by insufficient protection of military components.

Funds better used in upgrading equipment are wasted in maintenance and replacement of goods, which no longer work due to premature failure.

In order to be flexible in its application a material has to offer better protection, beyond requirements that were drawn-up long ago. Protective packaging materials need to:

• Be easy to apply
• Assure a long term protection
• Protect Ferrous-, Non-Ferrous Metals, Alloys, Optics, Electronics, Organics, Elastomeres and Explosives
• Work under drastic climatic changes
• Be proven for its protection performance
• Be cost-effective
• Be environmentally safe and pose no danger to health
• Be rugged and stand wear and tear
• Be available to protect the smallest to the largest item

Too much to ask? Not at all! CORROSION INTERCEPT® is a material that has been developed and patented by Lucent Technologies Bell Laboratories to overcome the problems of corrosion and deterioration for their equipment.

Much the same to military needs, the globalization of the electronic industry has lead to higher requirements of protective packaging. None of the existing methods showed an improved protection, which was sufficient with today’s more stringent requirements.

Elements causing corrosion have different levels aroundthe globe. China has about 200 times the level of H2S in its atmosphere compared to the US and Europe.

One has to prepare from the first stage to take such issues into consideration when selecting the best way of packaging.

CORROSION INTERCEPT® has proved to protect from these elements and has since been successfully applied in global shipments for automobile applications, industrial applications and of course, military applications.

From simple items such as replacement PCB’s, Ammunition, assault weapons to weapon systems and complete fighter aeroplanes and helicopters, one material protects them all.

The product can be designed to suit the individual needs from the smallest corrugated box to tailor made tarpaulins and re-usable equipment covers, CORROSION INTERCEPT® is successfully manufactured in all known forms of packaging materials.

This allows the military logistical departments to create a functional packaging method, which not only protects against humidity, dust and rain, but also actively hinders degradation! Intercept protection will stop corrosion (not reverse it) during storage, deployment and even under severe conditions.

Since the material can be incorporated in known and specified MIL Spec plastics and corrugated packaging materials and is tailor made to suit the individual needs, applying the technology is simple and effective.

Although pricing is initially higher than standard packaging solutions it has been proven in all applications that there are substantial cost advantages.

CORROSION INTERCEPT® is presently used for the following applications:

• South African Defence Forces: Storage of 40mm Grenade Launchers
• SA Military Supplier: Grenades and Weapon Systems
• German Tank Manufacturer: Storage and Shipment of Spare-Part Sets
• US Mil: Storage of Helicopters, Fighter Aeroplanes, Naval Equipment and Spare Parts
• UK Military: Tested and Specified for general use.
• UK Military Supplier: Tested for us on Jet engine parts and equipment
• Belgian Ammunition Supplier: Tested for artillery ammunition
• French Military Supplier: Use for self-propelled ammunition
• Singapore Military: Storage of Fighter Aeroplanes
• Amongst many other

Better ways to protect that has been proven over a period of time within other industries, especially the automotive sector, can be of crucial advantage for military operations. Contrary to most traditional packaging technologies, which actually have been developed by the military starting with plastics itself in the 1940s, the military paid for this development a high cost.

CORROSION INTERCEPT® is already proven in other environments under much the same protocols as military requirements; this time the military does not serve as the guinneapig!

COMPtrade Technologies GmbH is providing engineering and design services for tailor made applications as well as providing standard products to military users.

Service technicians are available worldwide for training and standardizations.