Military Sealing Solutions

Defense and aerospace platforms rely on electronics to run in harsh or variable operating conditions: this can range from salt spray exposure on a ship deck or sand and changing temperatures in a desert convoy to altitude swings inside an aircraft bay. Lacking adequate sealing risks failures that can ground equipment or compromise a mission.

APM Hexseal has provided military sealing solutions since World War II, when the U.S. armed forces first asked us to develop sealing hardware that keeps contaminants out of sensitive equipment. Our seals are backed by 75 years of Mil-Spec experience and protect sensitive electrical and mechanical components in mission-critical environments. This page covers our core military sealing products, the military sealing applications they support, and the quality standards behind every part number we ship.

Military jet aircraft flying above clouds representing aerospace and defense applications

Military Sealing Products

Our military sealing products fall into several families: self-sealing fasteners that lock moisture and dust out of enclosure openings, and molded silicone boots that shield switches and circuit breakers from the same threats. Programs typically pair both lines together, with fasteners securing the panel and boots protecting the components behind it.

Sealing Screws, Bolts, and Washers

Our patented Seelskrews® and Seelbolts® and Seeloc® washers replace standard fasteners with a self-sealing design. Seelskrews and Seelbolts comply with military standards like NASM 82496 for high-pressure sealing.

These fasteners are engineered for environmental durability and can hold their seal through repeated installation and removal. Engineers specify them where a standard machine screw would leave an open path for water or dust, such as instrument panels, junction boxes, and access covers on ground vehicles and shipboard systems.

Switch and Circuit Breaker Boots

We provide flexible, high-tear-strength rubber seals for switches and circuit breakers in military equipment. Our circuit breaker boots molded from proprietary RUBRGLAS® silicone operate in temperatures between -103 °F and 400 °F (-75 °C and 204 °C) and meet MIL-DTL-5423 requirements, resisting salt spray, fungus, and most acids and oils.

Naval electronics, cockpit control panels, and field radios rely on this protection to keep switching functions live after exposure to the elements.

Uses Across Land, Sea, and Air Systems

Military sealing applications span every branch and nearly every operating environment. Programs can obtain seals for use in:

  • Ground vehicles and mobile systems. Sealing hardware protects engine compartments, instrument panels, and communication gear from dust, mud, and vibration during transport and field operation.
  • Naval and marine platforms. Circuit breaker boots and sealing fasteners keep saltwater and humidity from entering shipboard electronics, dashboards, and exterior enclosures.
  • Aircraft and avionics. Sealing screws and switch boots protect cockpit controls, actuators, and navigation equipment from altitude-driven temperature swings and moisture ingress.
  • Personal and communication equipment. Headsets, helmets, and portable radios use sealing hardware to provide protection in harsh operating conditions.

Wherever a program needs an airtight or watertight seal, we can match an existing part number or design a custom solution around your drawing.

Quality and Reliability Standards

Every part we manufacture goes through the same quality system behind our military sealing solutions, regardless of program size. APM Hexseal is ISO 9001:2015 registered through DEKRA Certification, and our circuit breaker boots carry UL recognition along with MIL-DTL-5423 compliance. We manufacture each part in New Jersey, which keeps engineering, tooling, and inspection under one roof and shortens lead times with repeat orders for military sealing applications.

Partnering With APM Hexseal for Military Sealing

APM Hexseal has spent more than 75 years turning military sealing requirements into hardware manufactured to survive the environments it protects. Whether you need standard sealing screws, washers, and boots, or a custom configuration for a program still in development, our engineers can work from your specifications to match the right military sealing solutions to your platform.

Request a defense sealing consultation or get a quote for your program today.