F-16 System Program Office Non-Hexavalent Chromium Cr(VI) William Koftinow Corrosion Program Manager AFLCMC/WWMP F-16 System Program Office Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Plan Started in April 2013 and completed in July 2017 Two types of Non-Cr(VI) primer were applied to two aircraft located at Eglin AFB Tested on the Outer Mold Line Primers applied half/half down center   Surface Treatment Primer Topcoat Aircraft 1 System A PreKote AkzoNobel Mg Rich MIL-PRF-85285 System B Deft RECC 1015/3012 Deft 02-GN-093 Aircraft 2 System C FMS 3600 System D Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Plan Primer selection reasoning Results from government contracted testing by Battelle at Daytona Beach, FL AkzoNobel Mg Rich system already approved by Norwegian, German, and Italian air forces Deft 02-GN-093 was in use fleet-wide on the F-15 Test coating application was performed at Hill AFB Depot Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results AkzoNobel Mg Rich system Areas of metal-to-primer failures Failures seemed to occur on non-aluminum substrate Pealing paint around fastener heads Majority of coating performance was acceptable Peeling on titanium flap seal Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results AkzoNobel Mg Rich system Peeling around fasteners on titanium panel Corrosion on fastener heads Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results AkzoNobel Mg Rich system Typical wear from Crew Ladder Coating peeling on panel hinge Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results Deft 02-GN-093 system Areas of primer-to-topcoat failures Majority of coating performed acceptably Topcoat bubbling off primer Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results Deft 02-GN-093 system Typical wear for cockpit area Topcoat pealing from primer Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results Leading edge skin paint peeling Paint peeling on wing leading edge flap Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Test Results Typical results next to In Flight Refueling door AkzoNobel Side Deft Side Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!

Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around! F-16 Current Position Conclusion Both systems offered acceptable results Deft product gave the most favorable results Way Forward Continue depot removal and application of Cr(VI)primer system as designed for the legacy F-16 Weapon System Formalize authorization of Non-Cr(VI) as a secondary option to be used where environmental regulations require it Cr(VI) primer offers superior results Outer Mold Line only, not tested with other applications such as fuel cells and RAM coatings Hill AFB Depot has begun using laser de-paint on the F-16 reducing waste stream from 2,000lbs to just ½ cup Pound for Pound, the Best Fighter Around!