Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program

Mission — Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program source

The Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) provides the only source of critical sustaining engineering support for in-service Air Force engines to maintain flight safety (highest priority), correct deficiencies, improve system Operational Readiness (OR), Reliability & Maintainability (R&M), reduce engine Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and sustain engines throughout their service lives. It also serves as the primary vehicle to implement emerging technology solutions (e.g., additive manufacturing and digital engineering) to resolve these issues, and improve engine performance. Past investments have reduced warfighter Class A rates, decreased Engine Related Loss of Aircraft (ERLOA) and generated significant returns on investments. Priority requirements include Accelerated Mission Tests (AMTs) required for complex redesigns. The AMT provides early identification of safety/reliability issues prior to the operational fleets discovering unknown safety and/or reliability issues. Ongoing tasks for this year support eliminating critical safety concerns, addressing obsolescence and Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortage (DMSMS), developing critical repairs, and extending life limited parts. Also, improving environmental processes and materials to increase energy efficiency, supply chains and USAF's ability to operate effectively under any climate conditions. Engines are accepted into the CIP program after the first procurement-funded engine, and support continues over the engine's life, gradually decreasing to a minimum level (safety/depot repairs) sufficient to keep older engines operational. Engine CIP testing identifies and addresses engine-related problems before operational impacts materialize. R&M related Engine CIP efforts significantly reduce out year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and spares costs. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, 0605898F. In FY 2024 $0.297 million was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2025 $0.598 million is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.408 million for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Mission — Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program source

The Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) provides the only source of critical sustaining engineering support for in-service Air Force engines to maintain flight safety (highest priority), correct deficiencies, improve system Operational Readiness (OR), Reliability & Maintainability (R&M), reduce engine Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and sustain engines throughout their service lives. It also serves as the primary vehicle to implement emerging technology solutions (e.g., additive manufacturing and digital engineering) to resolve these issues and improve engine performance. Past investments have reduced warfighter Class A rates and decreased Engine Related Loss of Aircraft (ERLOA) and generated significant returns on investments. Priority requirements include Accelerated Mission Tests (AMTs) required for complex redesigns. The AMT provides early identification of safety/reliability issues prior to the operational fleets discovering unknown safety and/or reliability issues. Ongoing tasks for this year support eliminating critical safety concerns, addressing obsolescence and Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortage (DMSMS), developing critical repairs, and extending life limited parts. Also, improving environmental processes and materials to increase energy efficiency, supply chains and USAF's ability to operate effectively under any climate conditions. Service-related engine deficiencies occur throughout the engine lifecycle. Given the uncertainty with regard to the number and timing of engine-related deficiencies, it is essential for the USAF to have adequate engineering capability and test capacity to rapidly respond to problems as they occur. Engine CIP funding is driven by field events and engine type/maturity, not by the total quantity of fielded engines.

Mission — F135 Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program source

The F135 Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) supports the F-35 single-engine fighter propulsion system and provides critical sustaining engineering support for the F135 engine. F135 CIP maintains flight safety (highest priority), corrects service revealed deficiencies, improves system Operational Readiness (OR) and Reliability & Maintainability (R&M), reduces propulsion system Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and sustains the propulsion system throughout its service life. Past investments have reduced warfighter Class A rates and decreased Engine Related Loss of Aircraft (ERLOA) and generated significant returns on investments. F135 CIP, through "Lead the Fleet" operational use and accelerated mission testing, identifies and fixes propulsion-related problems ahead of operational impacts. F135 CIP ensures continued improvements in R&M, which reduce out year support costs.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (5)