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Mil Spec: Old & New Specs

MIL-B-117 vs. MIL-DTL-117

Understanding the differences between the Old specs vs. the New specs for mil spec packaging barrier bags or 'deconfusing' the 'MIL-B117 (old spec)' vs. 'MIL-DTL 117 (new spec)' conundrum.

On April 30, 2001 the military packaging authorities replaced the long-standing military barrier bag spec - MIL-B-117 - with a new spec - MIL-DTL-117.

The specified method of manufacture and specified materials to be used in the manufacture of these mil-spec bags remained the same but the specification numbers changed for both. The only real differences are the specification identifier numbers for both the materials and the bags themselves. The problem is that they did not change consistently or intuitively.

This has lead to confusion because old contracts and old drawings still contain the old –now obsolete- specification numbers. The new and the old are constantly clashing. To further confuse the issue, some of the specs only changed the document number. IE: MIL-B-131 Ty. I, Cl .I became MIL-PRF 131 Ty. I. Easy- just substitute the "B" with "PRF" and drop the class designation.

But this was not consistent. Each spec changed a little bit differently making an easy intuitive conversion from MIL-B- to MIL-PRF impossible. This same difficulty is found when comparing MIL-B-117 to MIL-DTL-117. There is no consistency in this conversion either. MIL-B-117 Ty. I, Cl.E, St.I became MIL-DTL-117 Ty.I, CL.E, ST.I. Again easy. But this is the only one where the old spec is intuitively consistent with the new. All of the others have changed in their own way making it impossible to simply substitute the new "DTL" or PRF for the old "MIL-B" versions.

The below listed chart should help show what is equal to what for both the Bag Manufacturing (MIL-B-117 & MIL-DTL-117) and the Material Spec. (MIL-B- & MIL-PRF). There is also a cursory description of the material itself.

 

Bags & Roll Materials

 
  Current Former
MIL-DTL-117 MIL-B-117
 
Material Description MIL-SPEC Bag MFG Specs. Corresponding Material Spec. Equivalent Military Specs Corresponding Material Spec.
Anti-Stat Barrier MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.A, ST.2 MIL-PRF-81705 TY.II MIL-B-117TY.I, GR.A, ST. 2 MIL-B-81705-TY.II
Heavy Duty Poly Kraft MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.C. ST.1 MIL-PRF-121 TY.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.B, ST.I MIL-B-121 TY.I, GR.A. CL.I
Medium Duty Poly Kraft MIL-DTL-117TY.III, CL.C, ST.I MIL-PRF- 121 TY.II, CL.I MIL-B-117TY.II, CL.C..ST.I MIL-B-121 T.II,GR.A. CL.I
Polyolefin Printed MIL-DTL-117TY.III, CL.B, ST.II MIL-B-22191TY.III MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.B. ST.II MIL-B-22191-TY.III
Polyolefin One Side/ H.D.PolykraftOther Side MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.C. ST.3 MIL-PRF-121 TY.I, CL.I /MIL-PRF-22191’TY. III MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.B, ST.3 MIL-B-121 TY.IGR.A, CL.I /MIL-B-22191-TY.III
H.D. Polykraft MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.C, ST.I MIL-PRF-121TY.I, CL.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.C, ST.I TY.I, GR.A, ST.I
Poly/Mylar MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.C, ST.2 MIL-PRF-22191TY.II MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.C, ST.2 MIL-B-22191 TY.II
Film/Foil MIL-DTL-117TY.I, CL.E., ST.1 MIL-PRF-131TY.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.E. ST.I TY.I, CL.I
Poly/Aclar MIL-DTL-117TY.I, CL.E, ST.2 MIL-PRF-22191TY.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.E. ,ST.2 MIL-B-22191TY.I, CL.II
Kraft/Foil MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.E, ST.1 MIL-PRF-131CL.II MIL-B-117TY.III, CL.E. ST.I MIL-B-131TY.I CL.II
Film Foil One Side/ Poly Aclar Other Side MIL-DTL-117TY.II, CL.E, ST.3 MIL-PRF131 CL.I/MIL-PRF-22191 TY.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.E. ST.3 MIL-B-131TY.I, CL.I/MILB22191-TY
Anti-Stat/Emi Foil MIL-DTL-117TY.I, CL.F, ST.I MIL-PRF-81705 DTY.I MIL-B-117TY.I, CL.F, ST.I MIL-B-81705DTY.I

 

VCI MIL-SPECS

 

MIL-SPEC VCI

MIL-PRF-3420

MIL-P-3420

Qualified Products

MIL-SPEC

Equivalent Military Specifications

Daubert VW35H

SKS Armor 35M

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 3 Style A Form b

MIL-P-3420

Type 1 Class 3 Style A Form A

Daubert VW35HC

SKS Armor 35 MC

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 2 Style B Form b

MIL-P-3420

Class 3 Style B Form A

Daubert VW70H

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 1 Style A Form b

MIL-P-3420

Type 1 Class 3 Style B Form A

Daubert VW60H

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 1 Style B Form b

MIL-P-3420

Type 1 Class 1 Style A From A

Daubert VW60HC

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 1 Style B Form b

Ludlow #705

MIL-PRF-3420

Class 1 Style C Form a

MIL-P-3420

Type 1 Class 1 Style C Form A