Page 211 - Challenges in Corrosion Costs Causes Consequences and Control(2015)

CORROSION PROBLEMS IN THE US DEPT. OF DEFENSE 189

3.31.2 Army
This is a major branch of the armed forces, owns and operates a range of facilities
and equipment. Corrosion creates a significant burden for the Army, affecting the
Army’s readiness, equipment reliability, troop morale, and, in particular, the cost of
maintenance of the weapons systems.

3.31.3 Vehicles
A significant portion of the corrosion cost ($2 billion) is attributed to Army ground
vehicles. The major types of vehicles operated by the army are the following:

Abraham tank systems – M1 Abrams
Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems
M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs)
M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles (CPVs)
Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRs)
Command and control vehicles (C2Vs)
Bradley Carrier Systems (BCSs)
Bradley Fire Support Vehicles
Medium Tactical vehicles
2 / 2-ton cargo trucks
1
5-ton cargo trucks
High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs)
Light armored vehicles

In general, very little attention is given to corrosion and corrosion control of
army vehicles. In fact, corrosion on these vehicles is allowed to occur until it
affects their load-carrying capacity. Moreover, little has been done to incorporate
corrosion protection and control in the design and manufacturing of army vehicles.
For example, none of the medium tactical vehicles has galvanized steel in the body.
The HMMWV has several corrosion control shortcomings that result in very high
corrosion maintenance costs (J Argento, US Army TACOM-ARDEC, Picatinny
Arsenal, NJ, Personal Communication, 1999; 49). In designing HMMWV, several
corrosion control features that are now common in commercial vehicles have not
been applied. One of the most glaring faults with the HMMWV is that the frame
is built of AISI 1010 steel and that no galvanizing or other prevention is applied.
Another problem with the frame is that holes are drilled into the sides of the frame
with no drain holes in the bottom. This allows water and dirt to enter and deposit
in the frame. Other problems are the use of AISI 1010 carbon steel for fasteners,
handles, and brackets. Another serious problem is the use of dissimilar metal couples