12-092-14
Amphenol Corporation
Amphenol Aerospace
40-60 Delaware Avenue
Sidney, New York 13838-1395
Phone: 800-678-0141 or 607-563-5011
www.amphenol-aerospace.com
MIL-DTL-38999, Series III
• Aluminum
• Stainless Steel/Firewall
• Composite
• Clutch-Lok® High Vibration
Amphenol Tri-Start
Subminiature Cylindrical Connectors
®TM
Table of Contents Page No.
Series III - The Highest Performance MIL-DTL-38999 Connector ...................... 1
Tri-Start Series III Versatility and Options ........................................................... 2
Shell Styles and Key Design Features............................................................... 3
Test Data .......................................................................................................... 4
Specifications.................................................................................................... 5
Insert Availability and Identification ................................................................ 6, 7
Alternate Positioning .......................................................................................... 8
Insert Arrangements ................................................................................... 9-15
Crimp
TVP00R/CTVP00R Wall Mounting Receptacle .......................................... 16
TVP02R/CTVP02R Box Mounting Receptacle .......................................... 17
TV06R/CTV06R Straight Plug ................................................................... 18
TV26/MTV26 CLUTCH-LOK® Straight Plug.............................................. 19
TV07R/CTV07R Jam Nut Receptacle ....................................................... 20
TV01R/CTV01R Line Receptacle.............................................................. 21
TV09R Flange Mounting Plug.................................................................... 22
Hermetic
TVPS02Y Box Mounting Receptacle ......................................................... 23
TVS07Y Jam Nut Receptacle ................................................................... 24
TVSIY Solder Mounting Receptacle .......................................................... 25
TVSHIY Weld Mounting Recepacle ........................................................... 26
Fail Safe, Lanyard Release
Design Features, Types............................................................................ 27
D38999/29, D38999/30 Lanyard Release Plug ..................................... 28-30
D38999/31 TV Fail Safe Lanyard Release Plug for MIL-STD-1760 .......31, 32
Accessories for Lanyard Release Connectors.......................................... 33
Accessories
Receptacle Protection Caps ..................................................................... 34
Plug Protection Caps ................................................................................ 35
Dummy Receptacles ................................................................................ 36
Cable Clamps ........................................................................................... 37
Universal Header Assembly for Flex Print or PC Board Connectors ....38, 39
Contacts, Sealing Plugs, Plastic/Metal Protection Caps ................................... 40
Contacts (Printed Circuit Board, Wire wrap) .................................................... 41
Application Tools.............................................................................................. 42
How to Order
Amphenol® TV, Metal and Amphenol® TV26 CLUTCH-LOK® ................... 43
D38999, TV Military, Metal and MTV26 CLUTCH-LOK® ............................ 44
Amphenol® CTV, Composite..................................................................... 45
D38999, CTV Military, Composite.............................................................. 46
Composite Weight Comparisons ..................................................................... 47
Specials (Fiber Optics, Filter Protection, Flex Assemblies,
PCB Applications) ..................................................................................... 48
Specials (Coax, Twinax, Triax Contacts, Ground Plane Connectors,
Press Fit Connectors) ............................................................................. 49
Specials (Quadrax Contacts)......................................................................... 50
Specials (Deep Reach Shells, Stand-off Flange Shells, Connectors with
Integral Strain Reliefs, ESD Protection, RJ Field Connectors .................. 51
Sales Office and Distributor Listing ................................................................ 52
For additional information concerning Amphenol Tri-Start Connectors, or if there
are special application requirements, contact your local sales office or
Amphenol Aerospace
40-60 Delaware Ave.
Sidney, New York 13838-1395
Phone: 607-563-5011 Fax: 607-563-5157
www.amphenol-aerospace.com
Amphenol Aerospace is a Certified ISO9001 Manufacturer.
1
Amphenol® Tri-Star t
Series III - the highest performance
MIL-DTL-38999 connector
Tri-StartTM MIL-DTL-38999 Series III
with Metal Shells - Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Class K Firewall
Composite Tri-Start,
Qualified to MIL-DTL-38999, Rev. J
Amphenol ® Tri-Start MIL-DTL-38999* Series III Connectors
offer the highest performance capabilities for both general
duty and severe environment applications. Meeting or ex-
ceeding MIL-DTL-38999 Series III requirements, the Tri-Start
connector with standard metal shells (aluminum or stain-
less steel with several finish options) offers these features:
• EMI Shielding - solid metal to metal coupling, grounding
fingers, electroless nickel plating, and thicker wall sections
provide superior EMI shielding capability of 65dB minimum
at 10 GHz
•Contact Protection - recessed pins in this 100% scoop-
proof connector minimize potential contact damage
•Moisture Resistance - improved interfacial seal design
helps prevent electrolytic erosion of contacts
•Corrosion Resistance - shells of stainless steel or
cadmium over nickel plating withstand a 500 hour salt spray
exposure
•Vibration/Shock - operates under severe high temperature
vibration, through 200°C
•Firewall Capability - available in a stainless steel shell,
class RK, RS
•Lockwiring Eliminated - unique, self-locking, quick
coupling connector eliminates lockwiring
•Quick Coupling - completely mates and self-locks in a
360° turn of the coupling nut
•Inventory Support Commonality - uses standard MIL-
DTL-38999 contacts, application tools, insert arrangements
•Electrostatic Discharge Protection (ESD) - protection for
sensitive circuitry without diodes, varistors, etc., with the
use of the Faraday Cage principal which shunts high
voltage, high current discharge events (see page 51)
•Ground Plane Connectors - with metallic insert for
common grounding of coax, triax or twinax contact outer
shield (see page 49)
•Hermetic- air leakage limited to 1 X 10-7 cm3 per second
optional
MIL-Qualified to MIL-DTL-38999, Rev. K, the Amphe-
nol® Composite Tri-Start Connector offers a lightweight,
corrosion resistant connector with the same high
performance features as its metal counterpart. The
Composite Tri-Start Connector also includes the fol-
lowing features:
• Lightweight - 17% – 70% weight savings
(17–40% weight savings vs. aluminum)
(60–70% weight savings vs. stainless steel)
See Composite weight comparison chart, pg. 47.
•Corrosion Resistance - available in standard MIL-
DTL-38999 olive drab cadmium (175°C) and electro-
less nickel plating (200°C), both withstanding 2000
hours of salt spray exposure. The base material is
able to withstand an indefinite exposure to salt spray.
•Durability - 1500 couplings minimum (in reference to
connector couplings, not contacts)
•Extended Life Contact - Mil-approved plating
process which provides 1500 couplings minimum
The latest offering from Amphenol in MIL-DTL-38999,
the CLUTCH-LOK connector offers:
All advantages of stainless steel/Class K firewall Tri-
Start connectors plus a unique clutch design that
actually tightens itself under vibration.
Features include:
• High degree of differential torque
• No settling back to the next ratchet tooth
• Completely intermateable with all existing
MIL-DTL-38999 Series III connectors
• Offers advantage in inaccessible, hard to reach
areas where mating torque is difficult to apply and
complete coupling is not verifiable by inspection
See page 19 for description, 43 and 44 for ordering.
CLUTCH-LOKTM MIL-DTL-38999 Series III
High Vibration Connector
* MIL-DTL-38999 Series III supersedes MIL-C-38999 Series III.
2
Amphenol® Tri-Start
offers more versatility & options
than any other interconnection family
Fiber Optic Multi-Channel D38999
Filter/Transient
Protection
MIL-DTL-38999 Series III
D38999 Ground Plane with
Metallic Insert, Power
Contacts and
Shielded Twinax
Contacts
MIL-DTL-38999 with
Shielded Coax Contacts
D38999 with PC Tail
Coax Contacts and
Alignment Disc
D38999 with Flex
Termination for
Attachment to PCB
Boards
MIL-DTL-38999 Lanyard
“Breakaway” Connector
Qualified for MIL-STD-1760
Hermetic Tri-Start
MIL-DTL-38999 Series III
The Tri-Start Connector is the high performance choice
in the D38999 Family.
Originally designed in order to increase the performance lev-
els of MIL-DTL-38999 Series I and II, the Series III was cre-
ated to meet high performance connector criteria.
Dynamic features for performance and reliability that were
needed for military, aerospace and ground vehicle applica-
tions were designed into the Series III that include:
• Rapid coupling via a triple-start thread
• Shell-to-shell or metal-to-metal bottoming
• Improved EMI shielding
The Tri-Start Family of connectors has grown and expanded
since its original addition to the 38999 series in order to meet
ever-evolving interconnection product needs. Today, the Tri-
Start family has styles and options that cover a very wide
range to meet not only the highest performance needs of
space applications, but also general duty connector needs.
The Tri-Start Connector Series is second to none in
terms of versatility and customer options.
The broad porfolio includes Tri-Starts with:
• Aluminum and nickel plated stainless steel shells
• Class K Firewalls
• Composite shells
• Clutch-Lok® high vibration design
• Fiber Optics
• Fail-Safe Lanyard Release connectors
• Variety of contact options: shielded, coax, matched imped-
ance coax, triax, twinax, quadrax, thermocouple, PCB tail and
wire wrap
• Ground plane versions and Press-fit® with compliant pins
• ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection
• Filter/Transient protection
• Hermetic versions
• Long reach receptacle styles
• Numerous shell geometries,
finishes and accessories
See more on Tri-Start specials
on pages 48-51.
3
Quick Coupling
Thread
Coupling Nut
Plug
Shell Spring Fingers (EMI)
Anti-Decoupling
Device
Ratchet
Amphenol® Tri-Start
shell styles and key
design features
Designed for Performance
Numerous advantages in performance capability are designed
into the Amphenol Tri-Start Connector. A positive metal to metal
coupling design, grounding fingers, and electroless nickel plat-
ing provide superior EMI shielding capability of 65 dB minimum
at 10 GHz.
Acme threads provide coupling durability. Thicker wall sections
and a greater coupling surface area improve strength and shock
resistance. Blunting of the thread on both the coupling nut and
receptacle eliminates cross coupling. The connector quickly
mates and self locks in a 360° turn of the coupling nut.
Elongated mounting holes permit the Tri-Start Connector to
intermount with various existing MIL-spec box or wall mount re-
ceptacles, giving it a design replacement advantage.
Shells of stainless steel, or cadmium over nickel plating prevent
severe corrosion. Resistance is tested through exposure to a
500 hour salt spray. Composite versions provide protection from
salt spray exposure for 2000 hours. Other finish options are avail-
able; see how to order Tri-Start metal and Tri-Start Composite.
Recessed pins minimize potential contact damage in this 100%
scoop-proof connector. In a blind mating application, mating shells
cannot “scoop” the pins and cause a shorting or bending of con-
tacts.
The design of the Amphenol Tri-Start interfacial seal meets the
MIL-DTL-38999 Series III requirements for electrolytic erosion
resistance.
A rigid dielectric insert with excellent electrical characteristics
provides durable protection to the contacts. The socket contacts
are probe proof, and all contacts are rear removable. They are
plated in the standard 50 micro inches minimum gold, with 100
micro inches as an option and are available in standard Tri-Start
insert arrangements and special Pyle® insert arrangements in
sizes 10 power, 12, 16, 20 and 22D contacts. Special insert pat-
terns are also available with larger contacts in sizes 4 and 0.
Wall Mount Receptacle
Box Mount Receptacle
Jam Nut Receptacle
Straight Plug
Flange Mounting Plug
Lanyard Release Plug
Line Receptacle
Longer Shell Receptacle
Solder Mount Hermetic
Receptacle Applicable Patents:
Tri-StartTM Connector Patent 4,109,990.
Composite Connector Patents:
4,268,103; 4,648,670; 4,682,832; 4,703,987.
Clutch-Lok® Patent 6,152,753.
4
Tri-Start
test data
TRI-START, SERIES III
TYPICAL SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS TEST DATA
EMI/EMP SHIELDING EFFFECTIVENESS dB
TESTING BY TRIAXIAL METHOD
TRI-START, SERIES III
TYPICAL SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS TEST DATA
EMI/EMP SHIELDING EFFFECTIVENESS dB
TESTING BY MODE STIRRING METHOD
Test data beyond 2GHz is subject to equipment variation. * Dependant on shell finish
NOTE: for test data information on the new
Clutch-Lok Tri-Start, high vibration connectors,
consult Amphenol Aerospace.
Amphenol® Tri-Start connectors provide
EMI/EMP shielding capability which exceeds
MIL-DTL-38999 Series III requirements.
The TV and CTV Series III connector with standard
solid metal to metal coupling, EMI grounding fingers
and conductive finishes has proven to be the ultimate
in EMI/EMP shielding effectiveness. The charts il-
lustrate shielding effectiveness data which is typical
of Tri-Start connectors tested with the nickel finish
(Class F-metal, Class M-composite) over a wide fre-
quency range.
The vibration capability of the Tri-Start Series is
shown in the chart below. This illustrates the most
severe vibration envelope of any qualified connec-
tor available today.
These capabilities along with a 200°C temperature
rating and superior moisture sealing protection pro-
vide the user with a connector that can withstand
the most rigorous application.
TRI-START
VIBRATION CRITERIA
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
NICKEL CLASS F, CLASS M
TYPICAL SHIELD EFFECTIVENESS DATA
FREQUENCY MEGAHERTZ
NICKEL CLASS F, CLASS M
MIL-DTL-38999 REQUIREMENTS
LEAKAGE dB
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
012345
NICKEL CLASS F, CLASS M
TYPICAL SHIELD EFFECTIVENESS DATA
NICKEL CLASS F, CLASS M
MIL-DTL-38999 REQUIREMENTS
678910
FREQUENCY GIGAHERTZ
LEAKAGE dB
550 500 5000
.0001
.001
.01
.1
1.
10.
10in/sec
.06 in DA.
3 axes @ – 55 C
ambient + 200 C*
60 G's
(Fail Safe: 3 axes
@ ambient
30 G's)
2 axes @
200 C *
(Fail Safe:
2 axes @
ambient)
2 axes @ ambient
6dB/octave
HERTZ
DOUBLE AMPLITUDE
(IN) SINE VIBRATION POWER SPECTRAL
DENSITY (G2/HZ)
RANDOM VIBRATION
POWER SPECTRAL DENSITY G
2
/HZ
˚
˚
˚
5
Suggested Oper. Voltage
Service (Sea Level) Test Voltage Test Voltage Test Voltage Test Voltage
Rating AC (RMS) DC (Sea Level) 50,000 Ft. 70,000 Ft. 110,000 Ft.
22D .0345 ± .0010 .141 .036 .094
20 .047 ± .001 .209 .044 .125
16 .067 ± .001 .209 .078 .141
12 .100 ± .002 .209 .116 .141
10 (Power) .137 ± .002 .355 NA NA
8 .181 ± .002 .490 NA NA
4 .281 ± .002 .490 NA NA
0 .453 ± .002 .585 NA NA
Test Current (Amps) Maximum Maximum
Contact Millivolt Drop MIllivolt Drop
Size Crimp Hermetic Crimp* Hermetic*
22D 5 3 73 85
20 7.5 5 55 60
16 13 10 49 85
12 23 17 42 85
10 (Power) 33 NA 33 NA
8 (Power) 46 NA 26 NA
480NA23 NA
0 150 NA 21 NA
CONTACT RATING
+ .004
– .000
+ .004
– .000
+ .004
– .002
+ .004
– .002
M 400 550 1300 VRMS 550 VRMS 350 VRMS 200 VRMS
N 300 450 1000 VRMS 400 VRMS 260 VRMS 200 VRMS
I 600 850 1800 VRMS 600 VRMS 400 VRMS 200 VRMS
II 900 1250 2300 VRMS 800 VRMS 500 VRMS 200 VRMS
SERVICE RATING
FINISH DATA
Non-Hermetic Shell Components
Service Class
Finish Military Proprietary
Anodic Coating (Non-Conductive) C RX**
F (Metal)
M (Composite)
W (Metal)
J (Composite)
Stainless Steel with Nickel Plate S RS
Stainless Steel K RK
Stainless Steel Y Y
Stainless Steel with Nickel Plate N YN
Hermetic Shell Components
Service Class
Material / Finish Military Proprietary
* When using silver plated wire.
Crimp Well Data Hermetic Data
Contact Nominal Min. Well
Size Well Diameter Well Depth Well Diameter Depth
Tri-Start
specifications
** Add Suffix (005) to part number.
Olive Drab Cadmium Plate Nickel Base
RF
RW
Electroless Nickel
Please note that the establishment of electrical safety factors is left entirely in the designer’s hands, since he is in the best position to know what peak voltage,
switching surges, transients,etc. can be expected in a particular circuit.
6
Tri-Start
insert availability and identification
AMPHENOL TRI-START INSERT ARRANGEMENTS
Contact Size
Shell Military Service Total 22D 20 16 12 12 10 8 8††
Size/Arrg. Shell Crimp Hermetics* Rating Contacts (Coax) (Power) (Coax) (Twinax)
9-5★■ A Grounded 1 1
9-35 A X P M 6 6
9-94 ■A✦M2 2
9-98 A X P I 3 3
11-2★B✦I2 2
11-5 B ✦PI5 5
11-35 B X P M 13 13
11-54 ■BX II 4 4
11-98 B X P I 6 6
11-99 B X I 7 7
13-4★CX P I 4 4
13-8 C X P I 8 8
13-13 ■CI, Fiber Optic 4 2** 2
13-35 C X P M 22 22
13-98 C X P I 10 10
15-4 ■D✦I4 4
15-5★DX P II 5 5
15-15 D X P I 15 14 1
15-18 D X P I 18 18
15-19 D ✦P I 19 19
15-35 D X P M 37 37
15-97 D X P I 12 8 4
17-2 E X M 39 38 1
17-6 E X P I 6 6
17-8★EX P II 8 8
17-22★■ E✦Coax 4 2 2
17-26 E X P I 26 26
17-35 E X P M 55 55
17-99 E X I 23 21 2
19-11★FX P II 11 11
19-18 F X M 18 14 4
19-28 F X I 28 26 2
19-31 ■F✦M1512 1 2
19-32 F X P I 32 32
19-35 F X P M 66 66
21-11★GX I 11 11
21-16★GX P II 16 16
21-29 ■GX I 27 19 44
21-35 G X P M 79 79
21-39 G X P I 39 37 2
21-41 G X P I 41 41
21-75★ ✧ G X M 4 4 (See note)
21-79 ■G X II 19 17 2
23-6 ★■ HP M 6 6
23-14 ■H✦I14 14
23-21★HX P II 21 21
X Completely tooled.
• Majority of tooling is completed (contact Amphenol Aerospace for availabilty).
✦Not tooled for 02-R.
P Pin inserts only (contact Amphenol Aerospace for socket availability).
★Ground plane proprietary option available. Arrg. 9-5 is exclusively
ground plane type. See pg. 49 for further information on ground plane connectors.
■Not Mil-Qualified.
✧21-75 is Mil-Qualified with twinax contacts only.
Note: MS connector 21-75 is supplied with size 8 twinax.
Proprietary connector 21-75 is supplied with size 8 coax.
* Hermetic inserts - solder termination standard. (Contact Amphenol
Aerospace for optional PCB or eyelet termination).
** Two size 16 contacts dedicated to fiber optics. Consult Amphenol
Aerospace catalog 12-352 for fiber optic information.
*** For use in MIL-STD-1760 applications (see pages 31 & 32).
† For RG 180/U and RG 195/U cables only.
†† Size 8 Coax and Twinax are interchangeable.
