Department of Defense Corrosion Program

The Department of Defense Corrosion Program (PE 0604016D8Z), managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is a research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) initiative aimed at reducing the significant impact of corrosion on the reliability, maintainability, and lifecycle cost of Department of Defense (DoD) weapon systems and infrastructure. The program's overarching goal is to shift the DoD from a reactive, corrective maintenance model to a proactive, technology-driven approach to corrosion prevention and control, as mandated by Public Law 107-314, Section 2228 of Title 10, United States Code.

The program's primary objective is to demonstrate and implement both material and non-material solutions that improve weapon system readiness and reduce the total cost of ownership. Corrosion is a persistent challenge, with audits from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congressional Budget Office, and DoD Inspector General consistently identifying corrosion as a major factor in reduced operational and materiel availability. Audited aviation systems frequently report corrosion as a factor in reduced operational availability, and some reliability and maintainability programs have seen increased funding requirements to address unplanned corrosion issues.

Corrosion Protection Projects constitute the main line item within this program element. These projects focus on developing, demonstrating, and transitioning new corrosion prevention and control (CPC) technologies and processes. Recent accomplishments include the successful demonstration of improved landing gear durability for certain aircraft, which has led to technology transitions for other platforms. The program also implemented CPC technologies on naval vessels and expanded industry-developed corrosion control and coatings inspection training for DoD personnel.

Looking ahead, the program is executing several targeted RDT&E efforts. These include the demonstration of a composite sunshield for ready service lockers, the application of ultra-short pulse laser surface preparation for marine connectors, and the development of a digital engineering tool for predicting galvanic corrosion lifecycle risks. There is also a focus on mitigating electronics corrosion in autonomous assets, which is increasingly relevant as unmanned systems proliferate across the services.

The program also emphasizes workforce development and training as a key enabler of effective corrosion prevention. In collaboration with the Association of Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), the program has significantly increased the number of available training seats and courses for DoD acquisition and depot-level personnel. Additional funding has supported the expansion of coating application training, including a new initiative to enhance skills at intermediate and depot maintenance sites.

From a budget perspective, the Corrosion Program's FY 2025 request represents a small fraction of the estimated annual DoD-wide corrosion maintenance cost. Despite its modest size, the program has demonstrated a high return on investment. Congressional adds have enabled the program to expand training and launch additional CPC technology demonstration projects, although some planned demonstrations have been deferred due to budget adjustments and shifting priorities.