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.  

Some people are assigned the role of mentor, while others simply become one. For Katie Graf, mentorship has never been a box to check or a title to hold – it’s a natural extension of who she is. That instinctive commitment to helping others succeed is what earned her the 2025 Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) Mentor of the Year Award.  

At a ceremony on Jan. 21, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced its 2025 Supervisor of the Year Award winners, recognizing one recipient from each of its 11 sites.

Anthony Harris, an aircraft overhaul and repair supervisor on Fleet Readiness Center Southeast’s (FRCSE) T-6 Texan II production line, received the NAVAIR accolade for FRCSE. There were 59 other nominees from across the command.

At a ceremony on Jan. 21, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced its 2025 Mentor of the Year Award winners, recognizing one recipient from each of its 11 sites.  

Rodney McQueen, supervisor of preventive maintenance for Fleet Readiness Center Southeast’s (FRCSE) plant maintenance division, received the NAVAIR accolade for FRCSE.

The first Royal Navy (RN) F-35 Lightning II aircraft arrived at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) on Dec. 3 for Production Asset Inspection Requirement Tier II (PAIR II) corrosion-mitigation inspections.

Using the PAIR II process, FRCSE artisans on the F-35 corrosion speed line will inspect the aircrafts’ underlying structure then remove and repair any corrosion to prevent further damage.

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) celebrated its 82^nd anniversary Dec. 16, marking a milestone of continued and unwavering support of warfighter readiness throughout its history. The depot welcomed Houston Salter, an honorable FRCE retiree who at 105 years old, is the oldest living Coast Guardsman, to join the celebration.

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently reached a milestone, marking 20 consecutive years of participation in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative and demonstrating a long-standing commitment to environmental conservation and protection efforts.

The first Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft arrived at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) Nov. 24 for overhaul and repair as part of the Talon Repair, Inspection and Maintenance program (TRIM).

The TRIM program is an Air Force repair initiative that involves inspecting and replacing key structural components across the entire T-38 fleet, with the goal of extending the operational life of the aircraft by five to 10 years.

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently named a logistics employee the command’s 2025 Supervisor of the Year for their commitment to boosting productivity and fostering a work environment focused on support and growth.