The M24640 Shipboard Cable is lower in weight and smoke emissions than traditional shipboard cable. Because of this, M24640 is safer to use in naval shipboard applications and can help reduce unnecessary weight on naval ships. Constructed with a cross-linked polyolefin jacket, there are several subcategories of the M24640 cable that are meant for specific shipboard applications, such as power and control, electronic, communications, and instrumentation. These subcategories are also divided by their being watertight or non-watertight and flexing or non-flexing.
Several types of M24640 come in armored variants, as marked with an “A” added to the lettering of the category. For example, Mil-C-24640/1 is in the non-watertight, non-flexing category called DX, with an armored variant DXA. Because the purpose of the M24640 is added safety, asbestos and mercury cannot be used in manufacturing as specified in the Mil-Spec standard.