Naval aviation is facing the significant challenge of operating and supporting aging aircraft exposed to the harsh corrosive maritime environment and highly stressed conditions of carrier-based aviation with increased environmental challenges and significantly reduced maintenance resources and infrastructure. These combined challenges require state-of-the-art technologies and maintenance practices to ensure operational suitability and safety while enabling, within
constrained budgets, the modernization of our forces. The Naval Air Systems Command has developed a comprehensive strategy that
leverages "Best-in-the-World" technologies and techniques to address documented cost drivers. A comprehensive evaluation of material condition combined with a defimition of best practices and state-of-the-art technologies are paving the road for the future of naval aviation.
Leveraging partnership opportunities with other government agencies, industry and academia are creating a short, medium and long-term strategy to meet this pervasive challenge. Keywords: corrosion, naval aviation, environmental compliance, aging aircraft, condition-based maintenance, corrosion sensors, corrosion detection, corrosion preventative compounds, non-chrome primers, trivalent chromium conversion