In July, the House of Representatives passed an $839 billion policy bill that would increase President Joe Biden’s requested Pentagon budget by $37 billion, reflecting bipartisan cooperation in Congress to raise military spending with a view on new threats from Russia and China. It includes billions for more aircraft and ships.
Military budgets around the world are about to get bigger. This is most notable in Europe, where the threat of Russian aggression looms largest. Most NATO member countries are now implementing or proposing increases in defense spending that will make 2% of GDP the floor for defense spending, not the goal. Germany, Italy, and Norway, among others, have already decided to spend more on defense.
Concerning fasteners and components and all the related supply chains impacted, mil-spec (or military standard) is a standardization created by the US Department of Defense (DOD) that serves as a measuring device to ensure that government contractors meet certain requirements. Mil-spec materials must pass specific requirements before they can be used for government contract work. Mil-spec fasteners are commonly used in the defense, government, marine, nuclear, and shipbuilding industries.
Fastbolt offers a wide variety of Mil-spec fasteners, including MS, NAS, AN, and NASM.
Different sectors within the military and defense industry have various applications. As such, the requirements and restrictions they have for fasteners may vary. The most common standards used are:
The performance standards expected of military-grade fasteners—like other military-grade materials—are exceptionally high to ensure that equipment works as intended throughout its service. These standards require that the hardware be manufactured to specific tolerances using specific techniques and performance materials.
The construction materials, finishes, and plating employed significantly influence the performance of fasteners. For example:
The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) is known as the “safeguarding” clause. Any external contractor who wants to work with the DOD or any federal agency and handles Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must comply with DFARS. The stipulations include who has access to the data, provides security education and training, audit controls, management of software/hardware, identity, and access management. DFARS requirements and regulations guarantee the integrity of CUI or sensitive information belonging to the government that third parties such as suppliers, partners, and trade associations may hold or use. Fastbolt is DFARS certified.
ITAR stands for International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls administers these within the State Department. The goal behind these is to regulate defense products. In addition to State, the Department of Defense is also heavily involved in these regulations—DTSA, the Defense Technology Security Administration, and other program offices in DOD. If you send a case over to the State Department under ITAR, they will immediately send it out to the DOD.
Among our many certifications, Fastbolt is:
You can view the details of our registrations and complainces on our Registrations page.
Military-grade fasteners find application in the construction of a wide range of military devices, equipment, and systems, such as:
Failure of a fastener can lead to catastrophic consequences; these fasteners are designed, constructed, and tested to ensure they meet the higher quality required.
At Fastbolt, we maintain an inventory of mil-spec fasteners and components, including:
When choosing a supplier for your next project in the military industry, there are many criteria you need to check off. Three criteria your supplier should possess include.
At Fastbolt, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality of mil-spec fasteners and components. As these components are critical to ensuring equipment reliability in the field, we understand that every detail of your supply processes—from sourcing to delivery—is handled with the utmost care.
Please reach out to us on our contact page to learn more about how we can help you with your mil-spec fastener and components supply. Our experienced team will assist you in answering questions and proposing scalable solutions that meet your manufacturing objectives.