NATO AECTP-400 PDF

PURPOSE

1. AECTP-400 is one of five documents included in STANAG 4370. It is important to use AECTP-400 with other AECTPs (100 to 500) to apply the Environmental Project Tailoring process. This process ensures materiel is designed, developed and tested to requirements that are directly derived from the anticipated service use conditions. It is particularly important that AECTP-400 is used in conjunction with AECTP 100 which addresses strategy, planning and implementation of environmental tasks, and AECTP 200 which provides information on the characteristics of environments and guidelines on the selection of test methods.

2. The test methods contained herein together with associated assessments are believed to provide the basis for a reasonable verification of the materiel's resistance to the effects of the specific mechanical environments. However, it should be noted the test methods are intended to reproduce the effects of relevant environments and do not necessarily duplicate the actual environmental conditions. Where possible, guidance on the limitations of the intended applications is provided. The use of measured data for the generation of test severities is recommended if available.

APPLICATIONS

1. AECTP-400 Test Methods address mechanical environments, both individually and when combined with other environments, such as climatic environments included in AECTP 300. The application of combined environments is relevant and often necessary where failures could be expected from potential synergistic effects.

2. In developing a test programme, consideration is to be given to the anticipated life cycle of the materiel and to the changes in resistance of the materiel caused by the long term exposure to the various mechanical environments. The environmental conditions included by the appropriate materiel platforms are also to be accommodated. Guidance on these aspects and information on the characteristics of environments is provided in AECTP 200. Guidelines for the planning and implementation of environmental tasks are given in AECTP 100.

3. The list of AECTP-400 Test Methods in Table 1 reflects those currently developed and completed. It is not comprehensive in that it will be revised as other methods are developed. The methods listed are not to be applied indiscriminately, but rather selected for application as required.

LIMITATIONS

AECTP-400 was not developed specifically to cover the following applications, but in some cases they may be applied:

a. Weapon effects, other than EMP,

b. Munitions safety tests covering abnormal environments,

c. Packaging testing,

d. Suitability of clothing or fabric items intended for military use,

e. Environmental stress screening (ESS) methods and procedures.