MIL-STD-147: palletized unit loads for military supplies
MIL-STD-147 is the DoD standard practice for bonded palletized unit loads of military supplies on the standard 40 × 48 in wood pallet. It points to ANSI MH1 Part 9 designs, limits unit-load size and weight (3,000 lb per pallet load in the 2008 base text) and covers bonding and marking.
If you ship to the US Department of Defense, the way your product sits on the pallet is not up to you. MIL-STD-147 is the DoD standard practice Palletized Unit Loads. The current revision is MIL-STD-147E, first issued on 16 May 2008 (superseding MIL-STD-147D of 1988) and since amended by change notices, including Change 2 in 2019. It covers the methods, materials and techniques for forming bonded palletized unit loads of military supplies, using a standard general-purpose 40 × 48 in pallet.
Numbers on this page come from the 2008 base text. Change notices can alter them, and your contract or the procuring activity can override them. Always check the revision your contract cites.
Which pallets does MIL-STD-147 use?
It uses the wood pallet designs in ANSI MH1 Part 9. The base text names preferred MH1 part numbers by load weight:
| Load (evenly distributed) | Pallet (ANSI MH1 Part 9 part number) | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 lb | MH1/9-02SW4048 | Partial four-way, double-wing, stringer |
| 1,500 to 3,000 lb | MH1/9-03SW4048 or MH1/9-10BW4048 | Partial four-way double-wing stringer, or four-way double-wing block |
| Four-way entry required, NATO support | MIL-P-15011 pallet (listed in MH1 Part 9) | Four-way, double-wing, block |
| Ammunition (STANAG 2828) | MH1/9-11BW4048P | Four-way, double-wing, block |
Winged pallets are preferred because straps can anchor over the wing. The base text notes that the two-way flush stringer pallet (MH1/9-04SF4048) is less suitable for strapping loads down. See winged pallet.
MIL-P-15011 has since been superseded by MIL-DTL-15011 (revision K, 2013), titled Pallets, Material Handling, Wood Post Construction, 4-Way Entry. Two-way double-wing stringer pallets and partial four-way flush stringer pallets are also recognized.
Size and weight limits (base text)
The standard treats the 40 in side as length (end of load) and the 48 in side as width (side of load), the reverse of the commercial "48 × 40" habit.
| Situation | Maximum size | Maximum weight |
|---|---|---|
| ISO freight containers and CRAF aircraft | 40 in long × 48 in wide; 43 in high recommended when stacking 2 high | 3,000 lb per pallet load |
| Other shipments | 43 in long × 52 in wide × 54 in high | 3,000 lb |
| NATO forces (MIL-P-15011 pallet) | Limited overhang (1-1/2 in per side on the 40 in dimension, 2 in per end on the 48 in dimension); 41 in high | 2,500 lb |
Weight includes the pallet, bonding, stability dunnage and contents. When a load is too heavy, the standard says to reduce height, not length or width.
Lumber, bonding and marking
- Lumber: well-seasoned, commercially dry, free of decay and defects that weaken it. Criteria are in ASTM D6199 and ANSI MH1.
- ISPM 15: wood, including dunnage, must meet and be marked to ISPM 15.
- Bonding: loads are secured by strapping or shrink or stretch film, with stability dunnage (caps, frames, separators, corner posts) as the load requires. The standard has detailed load patterns for boxes, drums, cans, bags and other containers.
- Marking: per MIL-STD-129 (military shipment marking).
How it relates to other standards
| Standard | Relationship |
|---|---|
| ANSI MH1 Part 9 | Source of the pallet designs |
| MIL-DTL-15011 (formerly MIL-P-15011) | Four-way wood post-construction pallet for NATO and four-way handling |
| ASTM D6199 | Lumber quality |
| ISPM 15 | Phytosanitary treatment and marking |
| MIL-STD-129 | Shipment marking |
| STANAG 2828 | NATO palletization of ammunition |
When should a supplier cite MIL-STD-147?
When the contract or purchase order calls for it, which is common for DoD supply contracts and for suppliers shipping into the Defense Logistics Agency system. Commercial buyers sometimes borrow its load patterns and bonding methods for heavy mixed loads, but the pallets themselves are usually specified directly.
How to reference it on a spec sheet
- "Palletize per MIL-STD-147E [change notice], pallet ANSI MH1 part number MH1/9-xxxxx."
- "Unit load not to exceed [dimensions] and [weight] including pallet."
- "Wood and dunnage ISPM 15 treated and marked; marking per MIL-STD-129."
See military and government for how pallets are bought and specified for government programs.
Frequently asked questions
What size pallet does the military use?
MIL-STD-147 is written around the standard 40 × 48 in general-purpose wood pallet, with the 40 in side treated as the length (end of load) and 48 in as the width (side of load).
What is the maximum weight of a military pallet load?
The 2008 base text of MIL-STD-147E sets 3,000 lb per single pallet load (pallet, bonding, dunnage and contents), and 2,500 lb for shipments to NATO forces. Check the current change notice and your contract.
Do military pallets need ISPM 15?
MIL-STD-147E requires wood, including dunnage, to meet and be marked to ISPM 15 guidelines.
Which pallet does MIL-STD-147 use for four-way entry?
The four-way, double-wing pallet of MIL-P-15011, which MIL-STD-147E describes as a block pallet and which is also listed in ANSI MH1 Part 9. The current specification is MIL-DTL-15011, Pallets, Material Handling, Wood Post Construction, 4-Way Entry.
Sources and references
Related
- IndustriesPallets for military and government shipmentsUS military supplies ship on 40 × 48 in wood pallets to ANSI MH1 Part 9 or MIL-DTL-15011, palletized to MIL-STD-147. Its 2008 base text caps a load at 3,000 lb (2,500 lb to NATO). Wood must be ISPM 15 marked and shipments marked to MIL-STD-129. The contract always governs.
- StandardsANSI MH1: pallets, slip sheets and other bases for unit loadsANSI MH1 is the American National Standard for pallets, slip sheets and other unit-load bases, published by MHI. It covers terminology, sizes, wood pallets, fasteners, test procedures, slip sheets and military pallets. The current edition is MH1-2021; its committee is the US adviser to ISO/TC 51.
- StandardsASTM D6199: quality of wood members of containers and palletsASTM D6199 is the ASTM practice that sets quality requirements for three classes of hardwood and softwood members used in boxes, crates, pallets and blocking and bracing. It limits defects such as knots, decay, splits, checks, warp and wane by class of use. The current designation is D6199-18a, reapproved since.
- StandardsISPM 15: the wood packaging standard for international shippingISPM 15 is the IPPC standard requiring solid-wood packaging, including pallets and dunnage, to be debarked, treated (HT, DH, MB or SF) and marked before crossing a border. Plywood, OSB, presswood, wood 6 mm thick or less, and plastic, metal and paper pallets are exempt.
- Sizes48 × 40 pallet (GMA): dimensions, weight and specsA 48 × 40 in pallet (1219 × 1016 mm) is the North American standard, also called the GMA pallet. The typical build is a partial 4-way stringer pallet about 4.75 in tall with 7 top and 5 bottom deckboards on 3 notched stringers. Pooled 48 × 40 block pallets (CHEP, PECO) share the same footprint.
- TypesWinged pallet: single-wing and double-wing constructionA winged pallet is a stringer pallet whose deckboards extend past the outer stringers, typically by 1 to 4 in (25–100 mm). On a single-wing pallet only the top deck overhangs; on a double-wing pallet both decks do. Wings give a larger deck, a grip edge for straps and room for bar slings to lift the load.
- GlossaryUnit loadA unit load is a group of items, usually cases on a pallet or slip sheet, secured together so it can be stored and moved as a single unit by a forklift or pallet jack. It includes the pallet, the packaging, the stacking pattern and the stabilizers.
- GlossaryStrappingStrapping, also called banding, is a steel or plastic band tensioned and sealed around a load, often through or around the pallet, to hold heavy or rigid items together and to the pallet. The main materials are steel, polyester (PET) and polypropylene (PP).
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Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 707 words.