INCH-POUND
MIL-DTL-23659F
10 June 2010
Superseding
MIL-DTL-23659E
27 September 2007
DETAIL SPECIFICATION
INITIATORS, ELECTRIC, GENERAL DESIGN SPECIFICATION FOR
This specification is approved for use by all Departments and Agencies of the
Department of Defense
1. SCOPE.
1.1. Scope. This specification furnishes general requirements for design and establishes
uniform methods for testing electric initiators and electric initiator subassemblies. The purpose
of the testing program is to determine the electric characteristics, soundness of mechanical
design, output, and resistance to deleterious service environments. For purposes of this
specification the term electric initiator includes items classified in FSC 1377 such as hot wire
initiators, exploding bridgewire initiators, exploding foil initiators, conductive mix initiators, etc.
Electric primers are not covered in this specification. All requirements for in-line initiators used
in safety sensitive, non-interrupted energetic materials train applications are contained in
Appendix A. Requirements for all other initiators are in the main body of this document.
The term electric initiator does not include complete assemblies which have electric initiators as
subassemblies, but include only the subassemblies themselves. In addition, electric initiators
must be safe for handling, transportation, storage and use and must not deteriorate to a degree,
which would render their performance or safety doubtful under normal service handling,
adverse storage and transportation. RF susceptibility requirements and tests have not been
included in this specification. Implicit in the one watt and one ampere maximum no-fire
requirements of this specification is the recognition of the hazards of electromagnetic radiation
to ordnance (HERO). This one watt and one ampere requirement in conjunction with other
design requirements stated herein does not solve the HERO problem; however they do serve as
a means of reducing hazards from all spurious electric sources including electromagnetic
radiation. General requirements for weapon systems to preclude HERO are established in MIL-
STD-464.
Comments, suggestions, or questions on this document should be addressed to DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, Indian Head
Division, NSWC, Code E11G3, Document Control, 4072 North Jackson Road Suite 106, Indian Head, MD 20640-5115
OFFICIAL BUSINESS, or emailed to amanda.penn@navy.mil. Since contact information can change, you may want to verify
the currency of this address information using the ASSIST Online database at https://assist.daps.dla.mil/.
AMSC N/A
FSC: 1377
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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