AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMANDQuiet Professionals
AF Corrosion Conference
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Colonel Joseph Rushlau
Director of Logistics, Engineering &
Force Protection
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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➢ New urinal design❖ Improved enclosure
❖ Improved tubing to
prevent leaking
❖ Drains outside
CV-22
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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…
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AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMANDQuiet Professionals
Questions?