US Navy,
Eagan MI: The U.S. Navy recently approved the use of Shield Technologies Corporation's (Shield Technologies) operational Envelop Protective Covers for Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS). The move is aimed at improved readiness by taking advantage of Shield Technologies' technological advancements that combat environmental degradation.
In a related policy decision made in September, the new operational covers will be included, along with a complete set of protective covers, for all new U.S. Navy ships under construction.
In 2003 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that the U.S. Navy spends up to 25 percent of the fleet maintenance budget to prevent and address corrosion, leading the Pentagon to identify corrosion as the top controllable cost in the military.
To address the problem, Envelop covers were developed in conjunction with the U.S. Navy through a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant. The covers are now available for more than 150 unique Navy assets on every class of surface ship and dozens of additional pieces of equipment for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and allied navies.
“When combat ships are deployed, they face harsh environmental elements including heat, condensation, sand and salt water that wreak havoc on exposed weapons and deck equipment, leading to rust and corrosion of critical weapons and assets,” said Dave Hutton, director of Navy and Coast Guard markets for Shield Technologies.
The Envelop CIWS operational covers improve equipment readiness in two ways:
– Through dramatic reduction of rust and corrosion compared to common tarps or chemical coatings, freeing sailors from hours of preventive maintenance and repairs.
– By remaining on the CIWS weapon mounts throughout all phases of system operation, allowing the weapon to be fully functional even while covered.
The operational covers were requested initially by the U.S. Army and Raytheon Company for the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) systems used for perimeter base defense in Iraq. The new operational design, adapted for CIWS, allows the covers to remain in place during use of the weapon.
It features an integrated stainless steel plate to prevent the cover from fouling the ammunition feed system, and high-temperature-resistant Kevlar and fiberglass roping surrounding the gun barrel area to resist heat damage during weapon firing.
