Smart Environmental Corrosivity Sensor Suite for Aircraft Applications

Corrosion costs the DoD over $20.6 billion annually accounting for over 20% of maintenance costs. Improved asset corrosion management is needed to reduce total owner ship costs and achieve readiness goals. Aircraft maintenance and sustainment improvements may be achieved by implementing condition based maintenance practices using technologies such as the Integrated Hybrid Structural Management System (IHSMS) being developed by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the CH-53K. An enabling technology for IHSMS corrosion management is the Luna Sensor Suite for Aircraft (LS2A), developed and patented through Navy SBIR Topic N07-171. The LS2A was developed to continuously monitor the environment and corrosivity within the interior space of an aircraft. Specific changes to functionality have been identified for aircraft integration and to satisfy Navy and Air Force applications including system use in more aggressive, unsheltered and sheltered environments at bases, on ships, and within airframes. The proposed Phase II technical objectives are: 1) design, develop, and complete functionality, durability, and safety-of-flight testing of a next generation (GEN 2) LS2A environment and corrosion sensor node, and 2) complete the production technology development such that the item can be produced in volumes that satisfy near term testing and demonstration needs for NAVAIR and Air Force customers.