Military / Defense

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In the face of an enemy, the last concern a soldier should have is worrying about faulty products or munitions due to moisture or leaks. There is simply too much at stake, and lives can be lost due to poor leak testing practices. Leak prevention is vital for both personnel safety and mission completion. Ensuring the safety and operational reliability of military equipment requires thorough leak testing, as even a minor leak can render sensitive systems inoperable in harsh conditions or high-stakes scenarios.

Therefore, defense contractors must adhere to rigorous standards, such as MIL-STD-1441 and MIL-STD-883k, ensuring components meet government-specific reliability and safety benchmarks. Many military parts also require IP67 or IP68 testing for dust and moisture resistance, especially for battlefield electronics, sensors & housings and a diverse range of other military and aerospace items, including: 

• Optics and guidance assemblies
• Electronic and sensor enclosures
• Ordnance such as ammunition and missiles
• Munition Storage containers 
• Hydraulic and pneumatic actuators
• Fire suppression canisters
• Gas masks and protective equipment

Common Leak Testing Methods for Military and Defense Applications

Pressure Decay

Pressure Decay testing is the most cost effective, widely used method to detect leaks in a wide array of defense products and pressure ranges. The method involves pressurizing a sealed component then monitoring for excessive pressure loss or “decay” to detect leaks. It is commonly used for pressurized enclosures and is highly accurate for detecting small to large leaks over a wide pressure range.
 

Vacuum Leak Testing

Vacuum Leak Testing is another technique widely used that’s similar to Pressure Decay, but rather than applying a pressure, a vacuum is applied then monitored for any vacuum loss. Vacuum decay subjects’ devices to real-world vacuum conditions and assesses gas ingress or egress, simulating high-altitude or space environments. Vacuum decay is ideal for optics, electronic enclosures, and sealed containers subject to IP67/IP68 leakage criteria.
 

Mass Flow Testing

Mass Flow Testing Is another popular technique for measuring leakage in defense products and munition storage containers. It’s the preferred method for products that stretch or expand during pressurization or vary in internal dead volume part-to-part. With Mass flow, rather than pressurizing and monitoring for decay, a mass flow sensor measures the amount of air volume needed to maintain a desired set point pressure. Any replacement air required during the Test phase indicates the presence of a leak.
 

Mass Spectrometer/Tracer Gas

With the tracer gas method, a mass spectrometer or gas sensor is used to measure gas concentrations such as helium or hydrogen wherever a sensor is mounted. Tracer gases smaller molecule size allows the gas to permeate a crack or void where an air molecule cannot pass through. This technique can identify micro-leaks at extremely low rates and is common for aerospace and guidance system assemblies.
 

Bubble and Submersion Testing

Involves pressurizing a component and checking for bubbles when submerged in water. While simple, its subjective, and less quantitative than other methods and relies on a human to make the judgement call on the quality of the device being tested.

Effective air leak testing for military and defense applications is essential for preventing catastrophic failures and maintaining the trustworthiness of mission-critical hardware. Thankfully, LeakMaster is at the forefront of testing these types of products. Our cutting-edge leak detection methods identify even the smallest leaks, preventing failures that could compromise safety or mission effectiveness.

When your business is Military and Defense, demand LeakMaster!