Crate spec ticket
| Governing document | The contract's packaging requirements, supplied by you |
|---|---|
| Military packaging | MIL-STD-2073 where the contract names it |
| Construction | Cleated plywood or sheathed crate on a skid, per clause |
| Preservation | Barrier bag, VCI, desiccant and humidity indicator as specified |
| Marking | Contract marking format; ISO 780 handling marks added |
| Lumber | HT-stamped for export; plywood exempt |
| Quote needs | Contract packaging clause, inside dimensions, gross weight, destination |
What defense suppliers put in crates
A defense supplier's outbound freight is a mix of one-off and repeat loads. Radar and communications electronics, vehicle and weapon-system spares, power units, test equipment, shelters, ground support gear, and tooling for production lines go by crate. Weights run from a few pounds of line-replaceable units to many thousands of pounds of equipment on a skid.
The crate often has to do three jobs at once. It protects the item against shock. It preserves it against moisture and corrosion for a long period of storage. And it carries the markings that let a depot or a unit receive it correctly.
Server rack, generator and control panel pages describe the construction of the most common electronic and power loads.
Contract packaging requirements and MIL-STD-2073
MIL-STD-2073 is the Department of Defense standard practice for military packaging, and a contract that cites it will also give the level of protection, the preservation method and the pack quantity required for each item. The contract, not the crate maker, decides which clauses apply.
We do not claim a defense registration, a clearance or a certification in this role. What we do is build the crate that the packaging clause describes and show you the member list, the closure and the marking plan before it is built. Send the clause, the drawing and the national stock number or part number with the quote request.
Where a contract is silent on construction, we recommend a crate and note it as our recommendation, so the packaging engineer can approve or change it.
Preservation, barrier bags and humidity control
Military items often sit in storage for long periods before they are issued. Preservation therefore matters as much as shock protection. A typical sequence is a cleaned and dried item, a contact preservative or VCI wrap where specified, a heat-sealed barrier bag with desiccant, and a humidity indicator card visible to the receiver.
The desiccant quantity depends on the bag volume and the vapor transmission of the film, not on the weight of the item. Our desiccant sizing guide shows the method and our rust prevention guide covers VCI.
Ports and connectors are capped. Optical surfaces and displays are covered with a clean protective film that carries no adhesive residue. If the contract names a specific material, tell us whether you supply it.
Marking, labelling and handling
Contract markings usually include the item's nomenclature, part and contract numbers, gross weight, cube, and a barcode or label in a set format. We apply the format your contract names and add ISO 780 handling pictograms such as centre-of-gravity, sling points and this-side-up.
Heavy crates take fork pockets in the skid and a marked lifting plan. Crates intended for repeated field handling usually take steel strapping or banding over the lid, and a lid that can be re-closed without cutting the preservation barrier.
Our crate markings guide lists the marks we use for general freight.
Lanes, modes and export control
Defense freight moves by truck to depots and prime contractor plants, by air for urgent spares, and by ocean when it goes to allied customers abroad. Dimensional weight matters for air, so we keep crates tight around the cushioned item.
Export of defense articles carries its own legal requirements that sit entirely with the exporter and the licence holder. We build the crate. Licensing, classification and paperwork are the shipper's responsibility, and we do not advise on them.
On the wood side, solid lumber in export crates needs heat treatment and the ISPM 15 stamp when the destination requires it, and plywood panels are exempt. See the APHIS treatment program page and the destination country's authority for the specifics.
How a crating program fits contract deliveries
Defense production tends to be delivered in lots against contract line items. Each line item has a packaging requirement. We keep the crate spec and the contract line together under the part number, so a later lot is built to the same description with the same marking.
When a program has qualification units followed by production units, tell us. Qualification crates may need extra instrumentation and inspection, while production crates are built for cost and repeat build.
For loads that return to the supplier for repair, a returnable crate with replaceable members reduces cost over the life of the program.
Questions buyers ask
Do you build to MIL-STD-2073?
We build to the packaging requirements in your contract, including MIL-STD-2073 clauses when the contract names them. We do not hold a certification to offer; the contract and your packaging engineer set the requirements.
Can you handle ITAR or export licensing questions?
No. Export classification and licensing belong to the shipper and licence holder. We build the crate and mark it to your instructions.
What is a humidity indicator card for?
It changes colour as the relative humidity inside a sealed bag rises, showing the receiver whether the desiccant did its job. Contracts often require one inside the barrier bag.
Can a defense crate be reused?
Yes, if the contract allows reuse and the members are sound. For export, any replaced wood needs its own HT mark.