AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMANDQuiet Professionals

AF Corrosion Conference

1

Colonel Joseph Rushlau

Director of Logistics, Engineering &

Force Protection

2

Overview

➢AFSOC Mission

➢AF Cost of Corrosion

➢Problems from Patrick AFB

➢C-130 FS 737 Corrosion Issue

➢CV-22 Window Sill Corrosion Issue

➢CV-22 Ramp Corrosion Issue

➢Future AFSOC Endeavors

AFSOC Inventory

AFSOC Mission Numbers

(FY16)

Weapon

System

Conus Sorties

Hours Flown

Deployed

Sorties Hours

Flown

Total Sorties

Hours Flown

C-130 18,745 12,419 31,164

CV-22 7311 1,729 9,040

MQ-9 1,022 76,933 77,955

Cost of Corrosion

➢ Annual corrosion cost for AF aviation and missiles ~$5.5B

➢ ~2.9M hours of non-availability (~18% of total non-availability)

➢ Preventative maintenance accounts for ~2/3 of total corrosion

related non-availability

➢ Corrosion cost as a percentage of

maintenance is high

➢ An increased emphasis on corrosion

prevention should result in improved

corrosion-related aircraft availability

6

Data from “Estimated Impact of Corrosion on Cost and Availability of DoD

Weapon Systems”, Mar 16 by LMI Report SAL4IT2 p. 4-5

PATRICK AFB

7

Problems from Patrick AFB

➢ Background:❖ June 2015: 920th Rescue Wing (RQW), Patrick AFB

discovered severe corrosion HC-130P aircraft

❖ All six 920th HC-130s grounded

➢ Root Cause IPT determines:

❖ Highly corrosive environment

❖ Inspection Requirements

❖ Field & depot level maintenance inspection/repair

❖ Corrosion Prevention and Control Program

Upper Rudder HingeLower Rudder Hinge

Beavertail

Problems from Patrick AFB

(cont’d)

➢ Impact:❖ All 6 HC-130s retired 2 - 4 years earlier than planned

❖ $472M loss based on $77M FY08 replacement cost

❖ Impacted HC-130J recapitalization fielding plan

➢ Results:❖ Improve training—emphasize field identification prior to depot

❖ Ensure personnel maintain corrosion training

❖ Ensure proper corrosion prevention materials available and utilized

❖ Heighten focus on identification and correction of corrosion issues

AFSOC C-130s

10

C-130 FS 737 Corrosion

➢ Historically, the 737 End Fitting has been a corrosion problematic

area

➢ Causes:

❖ Urinal location

❖ Liquid entrapment area

❖ Difficult to keep clean

➢ Effects:

❖ Extended downtime for repair

❖ Constrained repair supplies

11

Belly band (outside)

C-130 FS 737 Corrosion

Fixes

➢ Application of SelfLeveling Green/TufStuff

❖ Application procedures incorporated in Feb 2012 revision to

1C-130J-23

❖ Applied during PDM by depot

12

➢ New urinal design❖ Improved enclosure

❖ Improved tubing to

prevent leaking

❖ Drains outside

CV-22

13

CV-22 Window Sill

Corrosion

➢ Background

❖ Extensive history of window sill corrosion

❖ Windscreens contacted treated, bare structure

➢ Causes:

❖ Condensation

❖ Poor sealing

❖ Water intrusion

➢ Effects:

❖ Degrades aircraft readiness

❖ Depot task—drives high mx and supply costs:

$66,745/windscreen

14

CV-22 Window Sill

Corrosion Fixes

➢ 2014: Engineering change to anodize, prime and paint

lower sill

➢ 2016: NAVAIR (PMA-275) conducts a precipitation

static (P-Static) evaluation

➢ P-Static evaluation results

➢ Further testing recommended to satisfy additional

aircraft conditions

15

CV-22 Ramp Corrosion

➢ Background:

❖ Corrosion and standing water discovered in ramp

❖ Fleet-wide issue

➢ Causes:

❖ Drain holes

❖ Clogged drain holes

❖ Storage issues

➢ Effects:

❖ Degradation of metal and composite structures

❖ Extensive repair/replacement costs

16

CV-22 Ramp Corrosion

Fixes

➢ Fleet Readiness Center addressed storage issue

❖Currently stored skin-side up

❖Drain holes plugged when stored

➢ Application of Corrosion Preventative Compounds

❖Cor-Ban 35

❖ Fillet sealed

17

Future Endeavors

➢ Jan 2017: AFSOC Deep Dive; Dayton Research Institute; AF

Institute of Technology

➢ Support of AF smart and standardized AM foundation

➢ Laser Coating Removal

❖ Desire for entry into aircraft parts laser removal when

equipment/technology is approved

➢ Cold Spray

❖ Tubing repair

➢WHAT’S NEXT…

18

AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMANDQuiet Professionals

Questions?