Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program

The Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) provides the only source of critical sustaining engineering support for in-service Air Force engines to maintain flight safety (highest priority), correct deficiencies, improve system Operational Readiness (OR), Reliability & Maintainability (R&M), reduce engine Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and sustain engines throughout their service lives. It also serves as the primary vehicle to implement emerging technology solutions (e.g., additive manufacturing and digital engineering) to resolve these issues and improve engine performance. Past investments have reduced warfighter Class A rates and decreased Engine Related Loss of Aircraft (ERLOA) and generated significant returns on investments. Priority requirements include Accelerated Mission Tests (AMTs) required for complex redesigns. The AMT provides early identification of safety/reliability issues prior to the operational fleets discovering unknown safety and/or reliability issues. Ongoing tasks for this year support eliminating critical safety concerns, addressing obsolescence and Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortage (DMSMS), developing critical repairs, and extending life limited parts. Service-related engine deficiencies occur throughout the engine lifecycle. Given the uncertainty regarding the number and timing of engine-related deficiencies, it is essential for the USAF to have adequate engineering capability and test capacity to rapidly respond to problems as they occur. Engine CIP funding is driven by field events and engine type/maturity, not by the total quantity of fielded engines. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to implement innovation insertion, capability insertion, software increments, spiral upgrades, modular component swaps, and other insertions consistent with Modular Open System Architecture. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to design, develop, integrate, and test weapon system and/or component level open architectures. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to fund the concept refinement, design, development, integration, and testing of interdependent technologies and common architectures that underpin weapon system and portfolio-wide mission outcomes.

The F135 Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) supports the F-35 single-engine fighter propulsion system and provides critical sustaining engineering support for the F135 engine. F135 CIP maintains flight safety (highest priority), corrects service revealed deficiencies, improves system Operational Readiness (OR) and Reliability & Maintainability (R&M), reduces propulsion system Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and sustains the propulsion system throughout its service life. Past investments have reduced warfighter Class A rates and decreased Engine Related Loss of Aircraft (ERLOA) and generated significant returns on investments. F135 CIP, through "Lead the Fleet" operational use and accelerated mission testing, identifies and fixes propulsion-related problems ahead of operational impacts. F135 CIP ensures continued improvements in R&M, which reduce out year support costs. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to implement innovation insertion, capability insertion, software increments, spiral upgrades, modular component swaps, and other insertions consistent with Modular Open System Architecture. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to design, develop, integrate, and test weapon system and/or component level open architectures. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to fund the concept refinement, design, development, integration, and testing of interdependent technologies and common architectures that underpin weapon system and portfolio-wide mission outcomes.