Controlling Corrosion
The Department of Defense (DOD) estimates the cost of corrosion for military systems and infrastructure at between $10 billion to $20 billion annually. Corrosion has also had a profound impact on the readiness and safety of these systems and infrastructure.
Moreover, many DOD corrosion-reduction projects with a high potential for large future-year cost savings are often assigned a low funding priority; as a result, the department loses opportunities to save billions of dollars in corrosion costs as well as to make readiness and safety enhancements. For example, DOD estimated that it needed about $74 million and $312 million for corrosion prevention programs for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, respectively. Although these programs had an average estimated return on investment of $10 to every $1 invested, DOD had budgeted no funding for these programs for fiscal year 2004 and $27 million for fiscal year 2005. Similarly, DOD had validated requirements of about $34 million for corrosion projects and activities for fiscal year 2009 and had budgeted about $14 million. GAO calculated that the total return on investment for the unfunded fiscal year 2009 requirements was about $715 million.
To reduce the cost of corrosion, the Department should consider increasing the annual funding of its corrosion prevention and control programs where a significant return on investment can be validated.
^ Back to topKey Reports
- Defense Management: Observations on DOD's FY 2009 Budget Request for Corrosion Prevention and Control
- GAO-08-663R, April 15, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Full Report (PDF, 16 pages) Accessible Text
- Defense Management: High-Level Leadership Commitment and Actions Are Needed to Address Corrosion Issues
- GAO-07-618, April 30, 2007
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 39 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Defense Management: Opportunities Exist to Improve Implementation of DOD's Long-Term Corrosion Strategy
- GAO-04-640, June 23, 2004
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 27 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Defense Management: Opportunities to Reduce Corrosion Costs and Increase Readiness
- GAO-03-753, July 7, 2003
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 58 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
