The U.S. Navy calls on students across the Southern Maryland region to draw on their innovation and creativity to design Naval Aviation’s next jet in an inaugural competition by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD).
On August 29, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) completed its first depot-level repair of an F135 power module, establishing the command’s Initial Depot Capability (IDC). The power module is one of five major components powering the F-35 Lightning II engine.
FRCSE’s IDC status is crucial for supporting military aviation readiness and was designated in 2020 as one of two aviation depots to repair the F135 engine.
A CH-53K heavy lift helicopter transported an inoperable F-35B Lightning II airframe from Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina on Aug. 27.
The King Stallion helicopter was flown by a Marine aircrew from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, MCAS New River, North Carolina. The F-35, known as BF-1, was the first F-35 to perform a vertical landing. It was without its mission and propulsion systems, outer wings, or additional equipment and will be used as a permanent static display at MCAS Beaufort.
Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) hosted leaders from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 (MWSS-271) July 22 for training focused on increasing the squadron’s F-35 Lightning II program knowledge and readiness.
The visit was a part of the squadron’s quarterly training and was designed to provide in-depth exposure to the F-35 Lightning II, contributing to a more well-rounded understanding of the platform in support of their mission.
Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently achieved another first in its support of the F-35B Lightning II platform by completing the depot’s first overhaul of a key lift system component.
After soaring through two decades as a Marine Corps fighter pilot, Ross Fearon wasn’t quite ready to hang up his flight suit.
Instead, he embarked on a new mission after retiring from the Corps, trading combat maneuvers for flight testing on the cutting-edge F-35 Lightning II aircraft service at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE). In his new role as an F-35 maintenance test pilot, Fearon ensures the nation’s warfighters receive flight-ready aircraft following modification or repair at the depot.
When a critical need for new tooling arose for the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft, innovative thinking and forward-leaning technology at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) helped fill the gap and put 2,000 tools in aircraft maintainers’ hands within days.
How does a Marine Corps unit train to recover a downed fighter, when no downed fighter is available to recover? At Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE), a unique depot training asset helped Marines gain real-world experience in recovering a damaged F-35B Lightning II without risking harm to an operational aircraft.
Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) celebrated the completion of its F-35 Lightning II expansion project with an informal ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 14.
The expansion project offers space and aircraft bays to support the increasing F-35 modification workload.
Commanding Officer Capt. Randy Berti said this milestone will directly enhance the depot’s capabilities and strengthen the nation’s defense system.
Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) marked a milestone in its support of the F-35 Lightning II program when the depot recently inducted and completed modifications on its 150th F-35 and returned the aircraft to the Fleet.
FRCE is the lead site for depot-level maintenance on the F-35B Lightning II and has conducted modifications and repair on the Marine Corps’ short takeoff-vertical landing variant of the aircraft since 2013. The depot has also worked with the F-35A (conventional takeoff and landing) and F-35C (carrier) variants.
