An era has officially come to an end. Now that the Marine Corps has officially retired the AV-8B Harrier II, let’s look back at Fleet Readiness Center East’s 50-year legacy of supporting the platform that revolutionized military aviation.

It all began in 1973. Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) was assigned the AV-8A Harrier and F402 engine workload, and the depot inducted its first AV-8A Harrier in 1974. At the time, FRCE was the only rework center in the United States for the Marine Corps’ premier vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Because the platform was so new, much of the maintenance tooling and equipment was designed and manufactured here, and numerous rework and repair procedures for the platform were researched, planned and implemented at FRCE.

Generations of artisans spent their careers watching this platform evolve – from the original AV-8A to the highly advanced, radar-equipped AV-8B Harrier II Plus. Countless hours of hard work and unwavering dedication went into supporting the AV-8, all driven by a single mission: keeping the fleet ready.

After decades of providing world-class maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the legendary jump jet, our team delivered its final Harrier and F402 engine to the fleet in 2024. While bittersweet, this historic effort set the standard of excellence that now fuels the next generation of vertical-lift aircraft.

While their flying days have come to an end, their legacy lives on. We will never forget the incredible skill of the workforce who kept them flying, the roar of the engines on the flight line, and the pride of supporting the Marines who flew them.