A commitment to flight line safety and efficiency has earned Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recognition from the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) with the CNO Aviation Safety Award for fiscal year 2025.

 An unplanned repair on an Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter is providing Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) with the opportunity to refine its HH-60W maintenance skills before the depot begins planned maintenance on the aircraft platform later this year.

Imagine a military aircraft sustaining heavy structural damage in a remote, forward-deployed combat location. If the repairs are outside the scope of standard squadron-level maintenance and shipping the aircraft to a depot is not an option, how does the fleet rapidly repair and return that critical asset to the fight?

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.

What started as a routine inspection on a KC-130J Hercules at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) quickly turned into a coordinated, cross-functional team effort to repair and return the aircraft to the fleet on time.

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) is marking a new era of aircraft sustainment with the delivery of its first flight-certified metal additive manufactured parts to the fleet, significantly improving aircraft downtime and flight line readiness.  

A recent collaboration with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Additive Manufacturing Team and Fleet Support Teams has allowed the Advanced Technology and Innovation Team at FRCE to develop processes and obtain certification to use metal additive manufacturing to create its first non-flight-critical aircraft parts.

Fleet Readiness Center East recently reached a major milestone in support of warfighter readiness, decreasing the turnaround time of a CH-53E Super Stallion by 14% for a faster return to the fleet. This accomplishment represents significant turning point in the depot’s support of the heavy-lift community, showcasing the FRCE’s dedication to operational excellence and relentless pursuit of faster, more efficient solutions for the platform. 

NAVAIR personnel kicked off Tuesday at Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2026 with “Start with the Fleet: Readiness, Capability, Speed,” a panel led by NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. John E. Dougherty IV, who was joined by Rear Adm. Todd Evans, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and chief engineer with NAVAIR; Vice Commander Capt. Joseph Hidalgo, representing Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC); and Paul McGinty, director of the NAVAIR Rapid Capability Cell.

Dougherty began the panel by laying out NAVAIR’s highest priorities.

Local leaders from Carteret County communities visited Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently to learn more about the depot’s current operations and plans for future expansion.