Rapid Deployment Shelters

Mobile and Temporary Field Shelters

Rapid deployment shelters are used to provide protection for personnel and equipment from environmental conditions such as cold, rain, snow, humidity and sand. They are quicker to erect than permanent buildings and structures, and may also be able to be deployed in environments such as rocky terrain which are unsuitable for the foundations of buildings. Temporary field shelters are used for a wide range of applications, including tactical command centers, field hospitals, infantry housing, and protection of electronic equipment such as radios and computing systems.

Field shelters may be classified into two major categories – soft-wall or rigid-wall.

• Soft-wall shelters are frame-supported or air-supported, with a covering that is typically made of durable fabric.
• Rigid-wall shelters are made from lightweight solid materials such as aluminum or carbon composites.

Composite rigid-wall military shelters provide some advantages over aluminum shelters – they are stiffer, which means that they provide better load-bearing capabilities and resistance to vibration. They are also lighter and more corrosion-resistant.

Rapidly Deployable Shelter Systems

Military shelters may be transported flat-packed and assembled on site, or they may be prefabricated and transported in by vehicle. Prefabricated shelters may use a proprietary construction system, or take the form of modified shipping containers or vehicle trailers.

Rapid deployment shelters that are assembled in the field may feature a modular construction system that allows armed forces to create temporary structures to suit a variety of requirements, as well as to extend these structures as the need arises. They may also be stackable to create multi-storey structures, and may feature other customization options such as camouflage patterns, chemical-resistant coating, lighting, power distribution, and blackout capabilities.