CTMA Project #: 142033
Problem: Damage, degradation and spallation of thermal protection coatings of key aircraft engine components resulting from sustained operation in austere environments drives the need for coating technologies to mitigate the performance and durability risks to engines. Maintenance and sustainment of engine components is both costly and time consuming and can pose safety and reliability risks to commercial and military aircraft alike.
Benefit: This demonstration will serve to extend the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) 6 of the dust mitigation coatings to a broader range of applications, configurations, and operating environments for both commercial and military aircraft.
Solution/Approach: The primary objective of this initiative is to validate advanced coating technologies developed specifically to mitigate the impacts of sand/dust and salt-water on aircraft engines. The test vehicle targeted for this demonstration is a T408-GE-400 military aircraft engine. The proposed demonstration test will simulate sustained engine operation in environments with sand/dust and salt-water ingestion extending the operating range, scope of components, and coating technologies relative to prior programs.
Impact on Warfighter:
- Reduce aircraft maintenance costs
- Improve durability and engine performance
- Increase safety
- Extend warfighter readiness
DOD Participation:
- NAVAIR
Industry Participation:
- General Electric
- NCMS
Benefit Area(s):
- Cost savings
- Repair turn-around time
- Maintenance avoidance and reliability
- Safety
- Improved readiness
- Energy efficiency
- Durability
- Reliability improvement
Focus Area:
- Coatings/corrosion prevention
