A Higher Standard for Defense Testing

‍Extreme and Combined Environment Simulation

• Altitude, Temperature & Humidity, Rain, Salt Fog, Sand & Dust, others
• Vibration, Shock, Acceleration, Loading, 12-Meter Drop, Heavyweight Floating Shock Platform (FSP) / Barge, Deck Simulating Shock Machine (DSSM), others
• Electromagnetic Interference /  Electromagnetic Compatibility / Electrical / Power
• Lightning – Direct and Indirect Effects
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD / HIRF)

The Ultimate One-Stop Shop for MIL-STD Testing

Element U.S. Space & Defense offers unparalleled convenience and resources for the testing of defense technology. In fact, we serve as the ultimate one-stop shop for MIL-STD testing. With flexibility to perform testing on government bases, customer facilities, field trials, or at one of our laboratories, Element U.S. Space & Defense provides accredited testing and evaluation to a wide range of industry standards and specifications, including:

• MIL-STD-810: The primary Department of Defense Test Method Standard for Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests covers the environmental factors encountered during the use of military equipment in all stages of its service life cycle. MIL-STD-810 testing involves replicating these conditions in a controlled laboratory environment through the use of temperature, humidity, shock, vibration, acceleration, and other simulation equipment.
• MIL-STD-461: The “Department of Defense Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and Equipment” covers the EMC and EMI requirements for all electrical and electronic equipment used in defense applications. Element U.S. Space & Defense can perform MIL-STD-461 testing in-house using highly controlled anechoic chambers. Element U.S. Space & Defense also conducts MIL-STD-461 testing for components that are too large or too expensive to transport to one of our facilities.
• MIL-STD-2105: The “Department of Defense Test Method Standard Hazard Assessment Tests for Non-Nuclear Munitions” involves fragment impact testing, external fire, fast and slow cook-off testing and bullet-impact testing using small and medium-caliber ammunition. Element U.S. Space & Defense‘s Camden facility is equipped with multiple proving ranges and sophisticated monitoring equipment to perform testing to all MIL-STD-2105 requirements.
• MIL-DTL-901E: The “Department of Defense Requirements for Shock Tests, High Impact, Shipboard Machinery, Equipment, and Systems” is the military standard governing shock-resistance requirements for shipboard equipment. MIL-DTL-901E certification is required for principle devices, subsidiary components, and sub-assembly components, including both those that are essential for safety and combat, and those that could become hazardous to the crew if exposed to shock. Shock testing to MIL-DTL-910E standards can be performed at our facilities across the country. In fact, Element U.S. Space & Defense‘s primary 901E testing facility in Rustburg, VA is located on 36-acres, and features a 1,800 x 250 x 130-ft. deep quarry pond for conducting Floating Shock Platform (FSP) heavyweight applications.
• MIL-STD-167: The “Department of Defense Test Method Standard: Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard Equipment” is similar to MIL-DTL-901E, but specifically covers the effects of environmentally and internally excited vibrations on shipboard equipment. Replicating these factors in a controlled laboratory environment requires powerful shakers and precise instrumentation. Element U.S. Space & Defense maintains the best-equipped facilities in the country for MIL-STD-167 vibration testing.

Element U.S. Space & Defense also conducts Arena Testing in compliance with Joint Technical Coordinating Group for Munitions Effectiveness (JTCG/ME) FM 101-51-3-CD (EM 0260). 

Extensive Defense Testing and Evaluation Services

Element U.S. Space & Defense supports the defense industry by providing a wide range of testing, including live Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives (AA&E). A small sampling of services are provided below:

Test Engineering and Analysis

• 2D and 3D CAD Modeling
• Custom Test Apparatus, Fixture Design, Development, Fabrication, Validation
• Structural and Thermal Finite Element Analysis
• Mechanism Dynamics Analysis
• Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis
• Interior Ballistics Modeling and Analysis
• Weapon System Failure Investigations
• (PRODAS) Aerodynamic and flight analysis, ballistic match, aero predictions, stability, muzzle exit, firing/ballistic tables/ 4D&6D trajectory varying QE., etc.

Hazard Classification and Transportation Safety Testing

• Department of Transportation: TB 700-2 / NAVSEAINST 8020.8
• Interim Hazards Classification (IHC) Testing

Safety & Insensitive Munitions (IM)

• MIL-STD-2105, STANAG and AOP Specifications
• 28-day / 4- Day Temperature and Humidity
• Transportation, Aircraft, Shipboard Vibration
• 12-meter Drop
• Fast / Slow Cook-Off
• Bullet / Fragment Impact
• Sympathetic Reaction
• Shaped Charge Jet Impact

Ballistics Testing

• Weapon, Ammunition and Armor Centric
• Small, Medium, Large Caliber up to 120mm Tank and 3000 meters
• Shoulder Launched Munitions (SLM)
• Body Armor, Helmets, Armor Materials

Performance, Safety and Functional Testing

• Arena Characterization – Blast, Fragmentation, Lethality/Vulnerability
• Penetration and Areal Coverage

Mechanical Stress, Strain and Functional Testing

• Airflow (Bleed Air) and Thermal Management
• High Pressure Fluid/Gas/Cryogenics & Flow
• Pneumatic and hydrostatic – Burst and Cycling
• Hydraulics

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Testing

• Military and Law Enforcement Applications (NVLAP Lab Code 200820 and NIJ Accredited):
  • Helmets, Soft and Hard Body Armor Systems and Components
  • Terminal Ballistics – V0 / V50
  • Impact Shock – Drop, Hammer, Custom
  • Stab Impact
  • CT Scanning

Inside Hypersonic Testing for the Defense Sector

The development of a hypersonic defense weapon system is critical to national security. Predicting the effects of aerodynamic heating is essential for ensuring hypersonic projectiles perform as intended in extreme environments. At Element U.S. Space & Defense, engineers are working diligently to support the defense sector with testing that simulates hypersonic flight. As part of these efforts, engineers are simulating aerodynamic heating with burner temperatures that reach 2,500 °F.

Additional Test Services

In addition to the major defense RDT&E services listed above, Element U.S. Space & Defense provides a multitude of related services, as well as many types of customer-defined engineering projects covering a broad range of specialized services.

Customized for Every Type of Defense Program

By providing tailored services for the world’s most complex defense programs, our customers receive efficient, timely and consistent Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) of their systems and components in legacy and emerging defense technologies. With objective and independent RDT&E, Element U.S. Space & Defense supports:

• US Army
• US Navy
• US Air Force
• US Marine Corps
• US Coast Guard
• US Space Force
• Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO)
• Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC)
• Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM)
• Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
• Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
• Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
  • Naval Surface Warfare Centers (NSWC)
  • Naval Underwater Warfare Centers (NUWC)
• Naval Information Warfare Systems Command
• US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC)
• US Army Materiel Command (AMC)
• US Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM)
• US Army Research Laboratory (ARL)
• US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC)

In addition, Element U.S. Space & Defense collaborates with top defense industry contractors, including:

• Lockheed Martin
• Boeing Company
• Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS)
• Northrop Grumman
  • Innovation Systems (NGIS)
  • Defense Systems (NGDS)
• RTX
  • Raytheon
  • Collins Aerospace
  • Pratt & Whitney
• Aerojet Rocketdyne
• BAE Systems
• Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co. (EBAD)
• General Atomics
• General Dynamics
• Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)
• L3 Technologies, Inc.
• SAIC / Leidos
• Scientific Research Corporation (SRC)
• Textron
• United Launch Alliance (ULA) 

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