Military Packaging, MIL-SPEC Regulations, and Shipping
The U.S. military is one of the largest organizations in the world. With around three million total personnel between civilians, contractors, and uniformed personnel and over 1,000 installations globally, the Department of Defense is a behemoth.
With so many installations and tens of thousands of pieces of machinery, lots and lots of items are shipped either to military installations or between them. To ensure the highest deliverability rates possible, military logistics are detailed to the letter in a series of publications that are commonly referred to as MIL-SPEC or MIL-STD. Of course, MIL-SPEC refers to much more than logistics; it is a broad set of standards built to ensure materials' consistency, reliability, and compatibility. It is also for equipment and procedures used by the military across the board.
Greenwood Aerospace has decades of experience in the MIL-SPEC packaging space, and we are here to share our knowledge of the regulations that govern MIL-SPEC and what the process means to you, the end user.
What Is Military Packaging?
First and foremost, what is military packaging?
Military packaging helps preserve products of various sizes when transported or stored. The principal way to preserve these items is to begin with custom external packing like wood crates. Although all export package packaging follows strict standards, MIL-SPEC packaging must generally follow countless regulations. There are also a bunch of requirements that include:
- protection against corrosion and vibration damage, and
- providing a proper label to the package.
For a little backstory on how this came about, make sure to check out this article. Basically, the military was losing all kinds of stuff shipping war materials across the oceans during World War II because there was no standardization for packaging. Space was not optimized on vessels going across the ocean, which amounted to significant waste.
What Is MIL-STD?
A military standard (MIL-STD or defense standard) was established after WWII, specifically emphasizing technical requirements, processes, procedures, practices, and techniques. MIL certification is now used to test military branches and demonstrate their ability to handle a large load.
The idea is to centralize the approach to all kinds of common principles. These weren’t necessarily individual tasks like preflight requirements on a jet (which would be in technical orders), but instead, they were broad and sweeping.
All barrels and bolt carrier groups for an M4 carbine must be MIL-SPEC because several different manufacturers make functionally identical products. A MIL-SPEC is established for standardization to ensure they all meet the same tolerances.
Another area where this is common is in lubricants and oils. There might be dozens of manufacturers producing a comparable item, so to ensure it all meets the same standards, the packaging is a function that MIL-SPEC standardizes. Because, even though it is not a product for consumption per se, it is a practice that needs to be performed uniformly and consistently.
What Is the MIL-STD Packaging Mission?
MIL-STD packaging is a two-pronged approach meeting the military specifications for the proper packaging of war materials. Military packing depends on packaging solutions that are built for the specific purpose of military preservation.
Critical components of military equipment have to be shipped globally when conflict strikes, and shipping takes its toll on equipment.
Thankfully, Greenwood Aerospace is your shipment partner with MIL-STD expertise for government agencies and the military.
Greenwood Aerospace is an expert in government procurement for all U.S. military branches. We are aware of the requirements needed to complete military contracts, and we assign experts to supervise MIL-SPEC packaging to comply with these demands. We carefully analyze every MIL-SPEC packaging project since national security is at risk.
Before every military shipment, our staff ensures appropriate handling, labeling, packaging, and MIL-STD compliance. We guarantee that your aircraft part needs are satisfied to the highest standards by offering bespoke crating that complies with MIL-SPEC requirements.
Staying Compliant With MIL-SPEC
So, how do you plan on staying compliant with MIL-SPEC and MIL-STD? You can invest a lot of time and resources into learning and training it in-house, or you can work with Greenwood Aerospace.
MIL-SEC Specification Numbers
Specifications numbers or identifiers identify specific specifications in specific categories in a military specification framework—the differences between MIL-SPEC products and commercial products. The numbers are markers that show different standards in a specific way. Once the agency and additional code specifications are established, the specification identifiers provide an individual specification within the specified designation category.
MIL-STD-2073 Requirements
MIL-STD-2073 covers military-specific methods of preservation to protect materials against environmental damage and environmental degradation, including physical and mechanical damage and other types of degradation while transporting, storing, or transporting materials within defense transport.
Further steps include a detailed inspection of the packages before they are sent out. ASTM D3951 specifies requirements for packaging in commercial supply chains. These standards use MIL-STD 129 when labeling packages and are typically found in Section B of solicitations and awards.
Greenwood Aerospace is Your One-stop Military Packaging and Logistics Partner
Greenwood Aerospace is your trusted partner in MIL-SPEC and MIL-STD packaging and logistics. Our 42,000-square-foot warehouse is set up to store your parts and ship them out in accordance with MIL-SPEC standards.
Check out how our team can help with your MIL-SPEC packaging needs by contacting us to learn more about our MIL-SPEC packaging services.
Looking to expand your operation? Learn about how you can become a supplier with Greenwood Aerospace. Reach out to us at contact@governmentprocurement.com to learn more about what Greenwood Aerospace can do for you.
For large sales inquiries, please reach out to us at sales@governmentprocurement.com.
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