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NEWS RELEASE

U.S. Navy Approves Use of Operational
ENVELOP® Covers for CIWS

Complete set of high-tech, next-generation protective covers
To be part of all new U.S. Navy ship construction

U.S. Navy CISW EAGAN, Minn. (November 27, 2007) - The U.S. Navy recently approved the use of Shield Technologies Corporation's (Shield Technologies) operational Envelop Protective Covers for Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS). The move is aimed at improved readiness by taking advantage of Shield Technologies' technological advancements that combat environmental degradation. In a related policy decision made in September, the new operational covers will be included, along with a complete set of protective covers, for all new U.S. Navy ships under construction.

In 2003 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that the U.S. Navy spends up to 25 percent of the fleet maintenance budget to prevent and address corrosion, leading the Pentagon to identify corrosion as the top controllable cost in the military. To address the problem, Envelop covers were developed in conjunction with the U.S. Navy through a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant. The covers are now available for more than 150 unique Navy assets on every class of surface ship and dozens of additional pieces of equipment for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and allied navies.

"When combat ships are deployed, they face harsh environmental elements including heat, condensation, sand and salt water that wreak havoc on exposed weapons and deck equipment, leading to rust and corrosion of critical weapons and assets," said Shield Technologies' director of Navy and Coast Guard markets.

The Envelop CIWS operational covers improve equipment readiness in two ways:

  1. Through dramatic reduction of rust and corrosion compared to common tarps or chemical coatings, freeing sailors from hours of preventive maintenance and repairs.

  2. By remaining on the CIWS weapon mounts throughout all phases of system operation, allowing the weapon to be fully functional even while covered.
The operational covers were requested initially by the U.S. Army and Raytheon Company for the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) systems used for perimeter base defense in Iraq. The new operational design, adapted for CIWS, allows the covers to remain in place during use of the weapon. It features an integrated stainless steel plate to prevent the cover from fouling the ammunition feed system, and high-temperature-resistant Kevlar® and fiberglass roping surrounding the gun barrel area to resist heat damage during weapon firing.

Full-complement contract with the U.S. Navy
As part of a recent policy decision finalized by the U.S. Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, all newly constructed DDG 51 Arleigh Burke class ships will be outfitted with an entire complement of protective covers, including the new CIWS operational covers.

The remaining eight of the 50 DDG 51 Arleigh Burke ships ordered by the U.S. Navy are being constructed in Pascagoula, Miss. and Bath, Maine with completion scheduled for 2009.

Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) will also be outfitted with Envelop covers. Shield Technologies currently is designing covers for the first two ships which are being built in Marinette, Wis., and Mobile, Ala. The USS Freedom will be the first LCS to feature the covers.

According to Shield, the selected Envelop covers will pay for themselves in a short period of time by reducing equipment maintenance. In one Navy application, the use of an Envelop custom-fitted cover saved an estimated $30,000 in damage and maintenance costs for a 25mm gun in just the first two years.

A High-Tech Solution to a Major Problem
Envelop's four-layered covers are waterproof and breathable, absorbing condensation and water trapped underneath the cover and holding it away from the assets being protected, until it evaporates into the air. In addition, long-life vapor corrosion inhibitors released into the enclosed atmosphere prevent oxidation. The layers work together to reduce corrosion by as much as 90 percent over other options. The technology is protected by three patents.

About ENVELOP® Protective Covers
Envelop Protective Covers are the next generation of environmental and operational covers, replacing ineffective vinyl tarps and corrosion-inhibiting chemicals that contaminate the environment. Envelop covers were originally developed to protect military weapons and other assets from water, salt, humidity, sand and other sources of environmental degradation. Validated in the Navy's ocean-going environment, Envelop covers have proven to dramatically reduce maintenance time for military assets, and they are the only soft covers approved by the U.S. Navy for topside weapons and equipment. More than 14,000 Envelop covers are now used by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and allied navies. They are also available for consumer and industrial applications such as oil and gas machinery, commercial shipping, amusement parks, airplanes, gun cases and cruise ships. Shield Technologies Corporation is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., with operations in the Twin Cities suburb of Eagan, Minn.

   

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