Year after year, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) proves that the command is the best maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in the Department of Defense (DoD). FRCSW provides the men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps with the lethal aviation assets necessary to fight and win. In FY22, FRCSW delivered 35 F/A-18, 66 MH-60, 18 V-22, 17 H-1, 6 CH-53, 5 E-2D and 4C-2A aircraft, as well as more than 25,000 aircraft components.

The Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges (PMA-205) and the F/A-18 and EA-18G (PMA-265) program offices are fielding a sophisticated Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) training system that has the potential to revolutionize the way the Navy trains, leading to greater readiness and significant cost savings. 

The LVC training, commonly referred to as Link Inject-to-Live (LITL), injects high fidelity simulated air-to-air and surface-to-air targets into the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G weapon systems and is projected to save the Navy millions of dollars annually.  

NAVAIR’s SYSCOM Security Cooperation Office (SSCO) recognized two individuals and two teams at its Directors’ Awards ceremony Jan. 12 at the Southern Maryland Autonomous Research and Technology Innovation Center in California, Maryland.  

The data speaks for itself. Using several innovative technologies in the data analytics realm, the F/A-18 and EA-18G program office (PMA-265) sees significant improvement in the affordability and availability of fleet aircraft.

Several factors influence availability; maintenance, corrosion and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). CBM, which is executed by Hornet Health Assessment and Readiness Tool (HhART), is the maintenance strategy used to monitor the condition of assets and help determine maintenance plans.

When a damaged fuselage grounded an F/A-18 Legacy Hornet at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, artisans and engineers at Fleet Readiness Center East used innovative methods to get the strike fighter back in the air.

A significant shortfall of arresting hook availability has been reversed, thanks to an incredible show of teamwork from F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) team members as well as the NAVAIR and Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP).

This teamwork, including the organization and facilitation of an Arresting Hook Summit by PMA-265 personnel, allowed the program office to dramatically reduce numbers of Issue Priority Group 1 (IPG1) aircraft and arresting hook back orders, said Mark Harris, the PMA-265 Landing Gear deputy assistant program manager for logistics (DAPML).

When coronavirus-related workforce shortages impacted Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base, Fleet Readiness Center East stepped up to take on a component workload and ensure continued readiness for the F-18 fleet.

Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17.

“Aircraft E322 will leave Boeing’s production line and head straight to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 based in [Naval Air Station] Oceana,” explained Cmdr. Tyler Tennille, of Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), who oversees Acceptance Testing.

One year after first hitting the fleet, a unique F/A-18 analytical tool, Hornet Health Assessment and Readiness Tool (HhART), continues to benefit the warfighter and demonstrate how a mix of big data analytics and engineering can serve as an accelerator for U.S. Navy aircraft readiness.

“This cutting edge technology will reduce unscheduled maintenance and make diagnostics and maintenance planning easier for the warfighter,” said Don Salamon, an engineer for the Physiological Episodes (PE) Integrated Product Team in the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265).

A training program recently offered at Fleet Readiness Center East prepared service members to make aircraft and component repairs at the squadron level, which will increase flight-line readiness by reducing aircraft downtime.