Air Force Cost of Corrosion Studies

1
INTRODUCTION
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office

• AF Cost of Corrosion Studies have shown rapid
  escalation in both the costs and rates of
  increase of direct corrosion maintenance over the
  past 15 years
• Using the data collected during these cost
  studies, analysis was done to determine the
  actual man hours required for corrosion
  maintenance as a potentially more accurate
  portrayal of the actual condition of the systems
  and equipment

2
Corrosion Maintenance Dollars vs. Corrosion
Maintenance Man-Hours
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office

• Depot vs. Field Level Maintenance
• Depot labor rates are much higher than field
  labor rates such that the split is a major factor
  in the overall cost.
• Depot corrosion Man-Hours tend to be large, per
  aircraft processed. Thus, changes in the number
  of aircraft processed in a given year in the
  depot can significantly affect the hours for that
  system in that year.
• Business practices and other factors can impact
  costs and man-hours.
• Materials
• Materials costs can be a significant factor in
  the dollar cost of corrosion maintenance and
  materials may be procured in a difference year
  than that in which the maintenance is actually
  done.
• Field level Man-Hours may be slightly inflated
  where total corrosion costs were not delineated
  between labor and materials.

3
Corrosion Costs are growing Exponentially
Air Force Corrosion
AF Cost of Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
1,800.0
1,600.0
1,500.0
1,400.0
1,139.0
1,200.0
Then Year - Millions
1,000.0
795.2
718.0
800.0
600.0
91
92
93
94
95
96
98
99
00
02
03
05
06
90
97
01
04
Fiscal Year
Corrosion is getting worse. ..
maintenance growth is Exponential?
4
C-135
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
6,000
800
731 AC
700
5,000
4,697 hr/AC
602 AC
576 AC
600
Repair
582 AC
Paint
4,000
3,598 hr/AC
Wash
500
Fleet Size in AC
Prelim
3,559 hr/AC
Man-Hours / AC
3,000
400
2,570 hr/AC
300
2,000
200
1,000
100
0
0
C-135-90
C-135-97
C-135-01
C-135-04
5
B-52
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
7,000
300
5,998 hr/AC
Repair
6,000
250
Paint
Wash
254 AC
5,000
Prelim
200
Man-Hours / AC
Fleet Size in AC
4,000
3,376 hr/AC
150
2,871 hr/AC
2,838 hr/AC
3,000
100
2,000
94 AC
94 AC
94 AC
50
1,000
0
0
B-52 - 90
B-52 - 97
B-52 - 01
B-52 - 04
6
E-3A
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
8,000
35
6,831 hr/AC
7,000
34 AC
34
6,000
5,393 hr/AC
5,000
33
Man-Hours / AC
Fleet Size in AC
4,369 hr/AC
Repair
4,000
Paint
Wash
32
3,000
Prelim
32 AC
32 AC
32 AC
929 hr/AC
2,000
31
1,000
0
30
E-3 - 90
E-3 - 97
E-3 - 01
E-3 - 04
7
C-5A
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
14,000
128
Repair
Paint
12,000
Wash
11,543 hr/AC
Prelim
127 AC
10,000
127
9,631 hr/AC
Fleet Size in AC
8,000
Man-Hours / AC
5,461 hr/AC
6,000
126
126 AC
126 AC
4,000
126 AC
1,474 hr/AC
2,000
0
125
C-5 - 90
C-5 - 97
C-5 - 01
C-5 - 04
8
F-15
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
1,200
900
Repair
877 AC
Paint
1,027 hr/AC
Inspect
979 hr/AC
Wash
1,000
Prelim
850
900 hr/AC
800
Fleet Size in AC
800
624 hr/AC
Man-Hours / AC
600
737 AC
737 AC
750
734 AC
400
700
200
0
650
F-15 - 90
F-15 - 97
F-15 - 01
F-15 - 04
9
A-10
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
1,800
700
644 AC
Repair
1,488 hr/AC
Paint
1,600
600
Inspect
Wash
1,400
Prelim
500
1,200
993 hr/AC
Fleet Size in AC
359 AC
375 AC
Man-Hours / AC
400
1,000
366 AC
738 hr/AC
800
300
600
200
400
300 hr/AC
100
200
0
0
A-10 - 90
A-10 - 97
A-10 - 01
A-10 - 04
10
C-130
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
18,000
760
Repair
16,000
Paint
15,246 hr/AC
740
Inspect
Wash
14,000
737AC
Prelim
720
12,000
Man-Hours / AC
694AC
Fleet Size in AC
691AC
700
10,000
672AC
8,000
680
6,000
660
4,000
2,107 hr/AC
2,030 hr/AC
1,407 hr/AC
640
2,000
0
620
C-130 - 90
C-130 - 97
C-130 - 01
C-130 - 04
11
F-16
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related Man-Hours per AIRCRAFT
800
1,550
1,513 AC
672 hr/AC
700
1,500
620 hr/AC
600
1,450
Repair
Paint
500
Inspect
Fleet Size in AC
1,433 AC
Man-Hours / AC
Wash
400
1,400
303 hr/AC
1,381 AC
300
1,350
1,361 AC
183 hr/AC
200
1,300
100
0
1,250
F-16 - 90
F-16 - 97
F-16 - 01
F-16 - 04
12
C-141
Corrosion Costs and Man-Hour Trends
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS per AIRCRAFT
5,000
300
270 AC
4,648 hr/AC
4,500
Repair
250
4,338 hr/AC
Paint
220 AC
4,000
Inspect
Wash
3,500
200
3,000
Fleet Size in AC
2,668 hr/AC
Man-Hours
2,500
150
102 AC
2,000
100
1,500
59 AC
1,000
50
331 hr/AC
500
0
0
C-141 - 90
C-141 - 97
C-141 - 01
C-141 - 04
13
Summary
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office
Cost growth is Exponential. but not due to
condition of the Aircraft. Fleet man-hours are
flat (/- 5K) - over the last 15 years !
Corrosion Related MAN-HOURS by Year
50,000
7,200
7,029 AC
Repair
Paint
45,000
7,000
43,637 Hrs
33,232 Hrs
Inspect
40,000
6,800
Wash
37,045 Hrs
31,473 Hrs
35,000
6,600
Fleet Size in AC
30,000
6,400
Proactive corrosion programs are making a
significant difference slowing the spread of
corrosion.
Corrosion Man-Hours USAF Total
25,000
6,200
20,000
6,000
6,066 AC
6,077 AC
15,000
5,800
5,895 AC
10,000
5,600
5,000
5,400
0
5,200
90
97
01
04
14
LIMITATIONS AND CAUTIONS REGARDING THIS ANALYSIS
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office

• The data presented is not continuous, and
  therefore not inclusive of all years
• Some Missing Detailed Data Points
• Depot throughput is variable
• Preventive vs. Corrective Mhrs not displayed
• Unique fleet circumstances may exaggerate trends
  (i.e. basing)

15
CONCLUSIONS
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office

• Approximately 80 of direct corrosion maintenance
  costs are the result of depot maintenance while
  the actual man-hours are about equally split
  though this varies with the specific weapon
  system
• Corrosion is much more under control than would
  be indicated by the costs alone
• Increases are slowing in direct corrosion
  maintenance labor with improved prevention and
  control measures

16
Final Observations
Air Force Corrosion
Prevention and Control Office

• Additional technology is necessary to maintain
  positive trends in direct corrosion maintenance
• Elimination of corrosion with no changes in
  maintenance practices would only eliminate a
  small fraction of corrosion costs
• Improved NDI for corrosion could actually
  increase costs of corrosion maintenance under
  existing engineering policy
• Optimization of Prevention vs. Repair
• Total corrosion prevention would require infinite
  resources
• Elimination of effective preventive maintenance
  would be very counterproductive and costly
• Multiple preventive measures implemented together
  may not provide the same benefits as any measure
  standing alone