I don't think so. I think the mills need to meet certain criteria in order for the DoD to approve them during the bidding process.
to turn it into armor plate, it must be heat treated, then tempered......Then, it must be fabricated into the required shapes, an operation requiring very special tools on hardened steel.
I know, I've worked in Machine shops and have worked with tool steel and the like.
I don't think so. I think the mills need to meet certain criteria in order for the DoD to approve them during the bidding process.
No, any mill could make the plate. It might take a few tries to meet spec. correctly, but it could be done.
The issue is that only one mill is "approved" to make the plate for the DOD for this application. Other mills also make armor plate but they aren't "approved" for this application. I know my local ISG-Coatesville mill can make armor plate, because it rolls the wide plate steel used to construct US Navy Ships.