Military Coating (MIL-STD)

What Does Military Coating (MIL-STD) Mean?

What sets military coating apart from other commercially available coatings is that it is manufactured and applied according to the quality, reliability and other standards set by the United States Department of Defense.

However, not all military coatings are exclusively for the U.S. Department of Defense. Some are available commercially and are generally considered to be of higher quality and reliability than similar products that are produced for ordinary use.

The documents for the specifications or standards used by the U.S Department of Defense are prefixed by "MIL" as shown in the following examples:

• MIL-P-22332 - Paint, Priming, Exterior and Interior – the specs for materials used for coating ammunition
• MIL-DTL-24441 - General Specification for epoxy-polyamide paint

Corrosionpedia Explains Military Coating (MIL-STD)

Military coatings have more stringent requirements, some of which are of no use for non military use. They need to have reliable performance as designed because military vehicles, aircraft carriers, ships, submarines, airplanes and other hardware need top-notch protection to perform or operate in a flawless manner in hostile environment and conditions.

One example of why the military needs special military coating is the paint for vehicles that are exposed to the environment in a chemical or biological warfare. The paint should be able to withstand the effects of the chemical and biological weapons used against them. At the same time, the paint surface should be easy to decontaminate, without being damaged, after getting out of the chemical or biological zone.