NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – NAVAIR’s E-6B Mercury Fleet Support Team was awarded the 2010 Joint Depot Maintenance Excellence Award (Team category) Nov. 16 at the Department of Defense Maintenance Symposium in Tampa, Fla.

The Joint Depot Maintenance Excellence Award is presented by the Joint Group on Depot
Maintenance and recognizes contributions to further depot maintenance support to the nations weapon systems and acknowledges outstanding individual and team contributions to the joint depot maintenance community.

“The E-6 aircraft is a national asset. With only 16 aircraft in the fleet, we could not send them through the normal time lined depot maintenance cycle and still maintain the aircraft readiness level necessary to meet its mission,” said Capt. Bob Roof, the E-6B Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications (PMA-271) program manager. “To keep our aircraft in top shape and equipped with the latest upgrades, our Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, fleet support team solved this problem through collaboration with the Air Force using a process called Enhanced Phase Maintenance.”

Rather than deliver the aircraft to the depot, the depot comes to the aircraft. Air Force artisans work side by side with Navy maintainers, in Navy hangars, to complete the required depot maintenance in as little as six weeks added Roof.

“We could not accomplish this without the outstanding support we get from our teammates from the Air Force’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC). This innovative process has been flawlessly executed by Dan Potts and Lt Cmdr. Carin Tullos, our Sustainment Team Leads, and Ned Miller our Depot and Alex Padilla our In-Service Support Team Leads.” said Roof.

The E-6B Mercury is a national asset charged with the responsibilities of providing the Airborne Command Post and Strategic Communications missions. As part of Task Force-124, the E-6B has provided aerial communications for ground forces in Iraq for 2 ½ years and recently acquired the mission of providing communications during national military or natural catastrophes.

Photo cutline: Left to Right: “Mr. Gary Motsek, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Program Support; Mr. Ned Miller, Fleet Support Team, Tinker Site Lead; Mr. Kirk Flanagan, Fleet Support Team, Tinker Enhanced Phase Maintenance Lead; Mr. Michael Madden, Executive Deputy Marine Corp Logistics Command.”