Corrosion Balance Between Launch Complex and Flight Vehicle in an Underground Silo

Corrosion is a function of design, manufacture, and maintenance after weapon system deployment. Few missile corrosion problems exist; for missiles are produced by a single contractor on an assembly line basis and subsequent flight testing permits early detection and correction of remaining problems. Silos, on the other hand, have many corrosion problems; for construction is started later in the program and is accomplished by individual contractors. Contractor differences and local environmental factors compound corrosion problems. These differences and factors often invalidate initial design assumptions. After weapon system deployment, maintenance is the key element in detecting, reporting, and correcting remaining corrosion problems.