Photo By Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran | Marc Gilbert, an ES3 Cold Spray Repair Development Center employee, monitors a cold...... read more read more
Subscribe
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Following the stand-up of the Cold Spray Repair Development Center in 2024, the 7th Equipment Maintenance Squadron is regularly using the innovative system to keep the B-1B Lancer’s mission-ready at Dyess Air Force Base.
Cold spray technology provides a faster, more cost-effective method for repairing B-1outer panels compared to conventional processes, saving significant time, money and man-hours.
“Normally, producing a new panel from scratch, painting it, and trimming it takes at least a week with three shifts running around the clock,” said Marc Gilbert, an employee at the ES3 Cold Spray Repair Development Center, “With cold spray, we’re looking at about 30 hours instead of 120—saving us roughly 80 hours.”
Factory panels for the B-1B Lancer, which have been in service since 1986, are no longer in production. Cold spray repairs restore worn or damaged panels to a serviceable condition, keeping aging aircraft mission-ready.
“For the B-1, parts have not been produced for decades,” said Gilbert. “This process restores panels we normally wouldn’t have, putting them back on aircraft or into supply.”
The cold spray system mixes heated gas and metal powder, then projects the powder onto a metal surface at a high speed.
“When the powder hits the surface, the particles ‘splash’ and lock together, rebuilding and repairing the part,” said Gilbert.
With faster turnaround times and reduced costs, the 7th Bomb Wing’s maintenance teams can return more B-1s to the flightline, sustaining the wing’s combat credibility.
“Instead of spending $120,000 on one replacement part and waiting for it, you’re spending $100,000 to repair 15 parts and get 15 panels back,” said Gilbert.
Looking ahead, the 7th EMS aims to expand cold spray applications to support not only the 7th Bomb Wing but also other Air Force units.
“Cold spray brings an ability to repair aircraft parts, aerospace ground equipment and support equipment that can’t be repaired with conventional techniques,” said Tech. Sgt. Kevin Bratton, 7th EMS production expediter. “We can generate more mission-ready aircraft in a more cost-efficient and timely manner.”
The squadron’s employment of cold spray technology highlights the innovation and ingenuity driving the Air Force’s maintenance community to maintain readiness and ensure combat lethality.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2025 16:44 |
| Story ID: | 500746 |
| Location: | DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 7th EMS multiplies combat readiness with cold spray capability, by A1C Adrien Tran, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
