Chair:  Mr. Gary Latta, Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division and David Kayser, Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft DivisionKeynote:  Mr. Lloyd Condra, The Boeing Company

Throughout the electronics industry, lead has been a primary ingredient of finishes and solder in components and electrical attachment leads for more than 50 years. The health risks associated with lead are widely known. Though the majority of lead is recycled, approximately two percent can end up in landfills, primarily from consumable commercial electronic equipment. Recent directives and legislation issued both internationally as well as by several states in the United States have mandated the elimination of lead and other hazardous materials in some sectors of the electronics industry. Lead-free solders are now widely used in the commercial sector, but the growth of whiskers from these materials over extended periods of time, as well as the reduced resistance to shock and vibration, can cause early system failure. Electrical systems used in DoD and the aerospace sector are required to work properly for much longer periods of time than most consumer electronics so the higher failure rate in harsh environments is a significant concern. This session highlighted efforts to address the issues associated with lead-free electronics in DoD weapons and general aerospace systems.