CBM+

Condition-Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) is a maintenance paradigm — used in modern aviation, naval, and industrial settings — that uses real-time sensor data (vibration, temperature, oil debris, exhaust gas temperature, hydraulic pressure) and AI/ML algorithms to detect component degradation, estimate Remaining Useful Life (RUL), and prescribe specific maintenance actions. It supersedes two older paradigms: reactive maintenance (fix when broken) and Time-Between-Overhaul or TBO (fix at fixed intervals). CBM+ aims to: increase fleet availability from typical 60-65% to 75-85%; reduce maintenance cost per flight hour by ~20-30%; minimise in-flight failures; and maximise component utilisation to ~95% of life. On May 27, 2026, the Indian Air Force signed three indigenous CBM+ contracts with IIT Bombay for the Su-30 MKI fleet — covering predictive (failure forecasting), prognostic (RUL estimation), and prescriptive (action recommendation) maintenance — with 100% indigenous content.

• 1 Three layers: Predictive + Prognostic + Prescriptive Maintenance
• 2 Old paradigm replaced: Time-Between-Overhaul (TBO)
• 3 IAF-IIT Bombay contracts signed: May 27, 2026
• 4 Target fleet: Su-30 MKI (~260+ aircraft, IAF's largest)
• 5 Indigenous content: 100%
• 6 IAF lead: Air Marshal KAA Sanjeeb, DG (Aircraft)
• 7 IIT Bombay Director: Shireesh B. Kedare
• 8 Availability target: from ~60-65% to ~75-85%
• 9 Maintenance cost reduction target: ~20-30%
• 10 iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) launched April 2018

The May 27, 2026 IAF-IIT Bombay CBM+ contracts mark a milestone in defence-academic fusion: production-grade AI deployed on a live fighter fleet, with extension potential to Tejas Mk1A, AMCA, and helicopter platforms.