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What military specs are included in the mil grade rating system for electronic components?

Standards for electronic components vary and in the case of military grade standards higher specifications are set to meet the need of the possible variances of how and where the military use them. These required specifications are outlined in the United States Military Test Specifications by the Department of Defense and the Government Accountability Office (GOA). 

“According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), military specifications "describe the physical and/or operational characteristics of a product", while military standards "detail the processes and materials to be used to make the product”, as Wikipedia notes

These higher requirements are used by military contractors, as well as commercial companies that manufacture parts used in making military products. The standards can be seen in datasheet specifications using mostly MIL_STD or MIL_SPEC. The DoD has developed the tests and procedures needed to be passed to meet military requirements to achieve their high-reliability and quality needs.

“Testing to these standards ensures interoperability between products; consistency in electrical, mechanical, and thermal specifications; total cost of ownership; compatibility with logistics systems; and similar defense and commercial related objectives,” Eastern States Components explains.

As the GAO outlines, military specifications "describe the physical and/or operational characteristics of a product", while military standards "detail the processes and materials to be used to make the product." 

 

Below is a more detailed list of the specifications varieties involved in manufacturing military components.

 

Acronym

Type

Definition [1]

MIL-HDBK

Defense Handbook

A document that provides standard procedural, technical, engineering, or design information about the materiel, processes, practices, and methods covered by the DSP. MIL-STD-967 covers the content and format for defense handbooks.

MIL-SPEC

Defense Specification

A document that describes the essential technical requirements for military-unique materiel or substantially modified commercial items. MIL-STD-961 covers the content and format for defense specifications.

MIL-STD

Defense Standard

A document that establishes uniform engineering and technical requirements for military-unique or substantially modified commercial processes, procedures, practices, and methods. There are five types of defense standards: interface standards, design criteria standards, manufacturing process standards, standard practices, and test method standards. MIL-STD-962 covers the content and format for defense standards.

MIL-PRF

Performance Specification

A performance specification states requirements in terms of the required results with criteria for verifying compliance but without stating the methods for achieving the required results. A performance specification defines the functional requirements for the item, the environment in which it must operate, and interface and interchangeability characteristics.

MIL-DTL

Detail Specification

A specification that states design requirements, such as materials to be used, how a requirement is to be achieved, or how an item is to be fabricated or constructed. A specification that contains both performance and detail requirements is still considered a detail specification.

 

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