Department of Defense Corrosion Program

Budget Figures

FY24 Actuals

$5.11M

FY25 Total

$2.64M

FY26 Request

$2.54M

FY25→26 Change

-$92.0K

Budget Trajectory

FY24: $5.11M
FY25: $2.64M
FY26: $2.54M

FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why →

Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)

Exhibit R-1

Account	Org	Type	Amount
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide	OSD	FY24 Actuals	$5.11M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide	OSD	FY25 Enacted	$2.64M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide	OSD	FY25 Total	$2.64M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide	OSD	FY26 Disc. Request	$2.54M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide	OSD	FY26 Total	$2.54M

Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)

Project	All Prior Years	FY24 Actuals	FY25 Total	FY26 Base	FY26 Request
015: Corrosion Protection Projects	$156.8M	$5.11M	$2.64M	$2.54M	$2.54M
Program Element	$156.8M	$5.11M	$2.64M	$2.54M	$2.54M

Program Narratives

Mission— Department of Defense Corrosion Program

The DoD RDT&E corrosion prevention program, as defined in Public Law 107-314 in section 2228 of title 10 United States Code (section 2228(d)(2)), is the mechanism to change DoD’s reactive approach of corrective corrosion maintenance to a proactive approach to improve weapon system corrosion prevention reliability and maintainability through technology. The strategic goal of the DoD Corrosion Prevention Program is to demonstrate the ability to improve weapon system readiness through the implementation of targeted and effective material and nonmaterial solutions that reduce the corrosion impacts on reliability, maintainability, and cost of DoD weapon systems and infrastructure. Historically, the program’s projects have shown an opportunity to achieve a 17:1 return-on-investment. From 2001-2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Congressional Budget Office and the DoD IG have conducted multiple weapon systems and infrastructure audits and continue to find corrosion is a significant impact on availability and cost. GAO’s Aviation Sustainment Quick Look reports (GAO-18-678, GAO-21-101SP, and GAO-23-106217) consistently show that 33% of the audited aviation systems report corrosion as a factor in reduced aviation Operational Availability (Ao) rates. The F-35 program is a current example of current corrosion prevention acquisition decisions and resulting corrosion maintenance issues of the continued flawed approach to weapon system corrosion prevention. In addition, corrosion continues to be a major factor in Materiel Availability (Am) of weapon systems. Examples of the corrosion impact on materiel availability include: (a) F-22 Reliability and Maintainability Maturation Program total funding requirement increased 100% ($664 million to $1.3 billion) to correct unplanned corrosion issues (GAO-12-447, GAO-14-425) (b) The Department of the Navy is deferring shipyard corrosion repairs, allocating a 6%+ cost growth factor for future corrosion repair work. (GAO-22-105032) These materiel availability examples illustrate the continued reactive sustainment engineering approach to corrosion prevention during the operational and sustainment phase of fielded weapon systems. Furthermore, the Maintenance Availability Data Warehouse (MADW) data, maintained on DoD online data repository, shows a $20 billion total corrosion maintenance cost trend across DoD weapon systems and infrastructure. In perspective, the allocated FY 2025 budget for the DoD Corrosion Program represents an investment equivalent to 0.013% of the $20 billion annual corrosion maintenance cost of weapon systems and infrastructure.

Mission— Corrosion Protection Projects

The DoD RDT&E corrosion prevention program, as defined in Public Law 107-314 in section 2228 of title 10 United States Code (section 2228(d)(2)), is the mechanism to change DoD’s reactive approach of corrective corrosion maintenance to a proactive approach to improve weapon system corrosion prevention reliability and maintainability through technology. The strategic goal of the DoD Corrosion Prevention Program is to demonstrate the ability to improve weapon system readiness through the implementation of targeted and effective material and nonmaterial solutions that reduce the corrosion impacts on reliability, maintainability, and cost of DoD weapon systems and infrastructure. Historically, the program’s projects have shown an opportunity to achieve a 17:1 return-on-investment. From 2001-2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Congressional Budget Office and the DoD IG have conducted multiple weapon systems and infrastructure audits and continue to find corrosion is a significant impact on availability and cost. GAO’s Aviation Sustainment Quick Look reports (GAO-18-678, GAO-21-101SP, and GAO-23-106217) consistently show that 33% of the audited aviation systems report corrosion as a factor in reduced aviation Operational Availability (Ao) rates. The F-35 program is a current example of current corrosion prevention acquisition decisions and resulting corrosion maintenance issues of the continued flawed approach to weapon system corrosion prevention. In addition, corrosion continues to be a major factor in Materiel Availability (Am) of weapon systems. Examples of the corrosion impact on materiel availability include: (a) F-22 Reliability and Maintainability Maturation Program total funding requirement increased 100% ($664 million to $1.3 billion) to correct unplanned corrosion issues (GAO-12-447, GAO-14-425) (b) The Department of the Navy is deferring shipyard corrosion repairs, allocating a 6%+ cost growth factor for future corrosion repair work. (GAO-22-105032) These materiel availability examples illustrate the continued reactive sustainment engineering approach to corrosion prevention during the operational and sustainment phase of fielded weapon systems. Furthermore, the Maintenance Availability Data Warehouse (MADW) data, maintained on DoD online data repository, shows a $20 billion total corrosion maintenance cost trend across DoD weapon systems and infrastructure. In perspective, the allocated FY 2025 budget for the DoD Corrosion Program represents an investment equivalent to 0.013% of the $20 billion annual corrosion maintenance cost of weapon systems and infrastructure.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)

Corrosion Prevention and Control Projects and Activities

Corrosion prevention and control projects and activities are conducted in support of the support of the strategic plan to reduce the impact of corrosion on the cost and availability of DoD equipment and facilities. • Completed the Improved Landing Gear Durability for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet evaluating the application of multiple corrosion prevention technologies to improve the landing gear system to improve readiness and reduce cost; resulting in the engineering approvals to initiate the specific technology transitions into components on 3 additional platforms: F-35 Navy/USMC variants, CH-53 platform, and V-22 platform. • Implemented CPC technologies on LPD-24 (USS Arlington) during its April 2023-July 2024 maintenance period to start its service environment demonstration and validation. • Collaborated with the Association of Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) to deliver six industry developed corrosion control and coatings inspection training course to over 230+ DoD acquisition and depot-level workforce personnel. The DoD workforce demand for CPC training is illustrated in a FY 2024 waitlist from 300+ to 561 students which is 200+ increase to the FY 2023 waitlist. • The CPO supported technical revision of Mil-Std-1568, Materials and Processes for Corrosion Prevention and Control in Aerospace Weapon Systems, was selected as a winner of the Defense Standardization Program Achievement Award.