What is new highlights of military connectors?

As analog circuits give way to digital circuits, and the whole equipment has also shifted from desktop to portable, the chip size of the circuit has become quite small, requiring smaller operating current, smaller wires and connectors, and therefore, smaller size and smaller weight. In some requirements, durability requirements are also getting higher and higher. Nano-type connectors have been proven in military and aerospace applications, and have been expanded to the petroleum and medical industries. In new designs, they will replace micro-miniature connectors. Foreign countries call the transition from micro to nano "a revolution in connector technology."

Circular connectors are the most widely used military connectors. They are easy to process, suitable for cables of various specifications, have a strong structure, are fast and convenient to connect, and can be designed into various environmentally resistant forms. They are widely used in aerospace, aviation, ships, electronics and nuclear weapons and other equipment. They are the main interconnection components between military electronic equipment and systems. MIL-C-38999, MIL-DTL-5015 and MIL-C-26482 are the main standards for circular connectors. Among them, MIL-C-38999 connectors have the largest sales volume and are the highest-grade circular connectors in the current US military standards. Now it has developed to version K, using 22D#-12# contacts, with a minimum center distance of 2.28mm, and can be equipped with filter and RF thermocouple material contacts, with a density of up to 128 holes. Plastic circular connectors have also made new progress. Tyco Electronics recently launched AMP single-chip packaged plastic circular connectors, in addition to maintaining standard physical properties, added IP-67 liquid protection function, which can prevent the intrusion of diesel fuel, gear and engine lubricating oil, gasoline, antifreeze and salt spray.

Composite connectors refer to connectors that use composite shells instead of metal shells. This type of connector is highly corrosion-resistant and lightweight. It is widely used in aerospace/aviation systems. MIL-C-29600A products are widely used internationally. This standard has two series, A and B. The A series uses the MIL-C-38999 mounting plate hole arrangement, and the B series uses the MIL-C-81511 mounting plate hole arrangement. Since MIL-C-81511 is a new design standard and is not used for products, the A series has developed rapidly.

The biggest change in military and space applications is the so-called "hermetic evolution". The military is now considering not plug-in modules and treating the entire board as a component. The adjustment to be made in the future is how to seal plug-in components with connectors. Nanonics has developed a nano-type airtight connector, which is welded to the wall by laser beam through the hole on the sealed box containing the plate to form a removable module. In this way, the nano-type connector is no longer an independent component but is integrated into the module. A flat, user-customized circuit in the module can occupy any area and can process all the electronic signals required for the guidance of the "Patriot" missile. The hermetically sealed single module is only part of the multi-functional component structure.