FRC East Expands F-35 Capabilities at Cherry Hill
On January 1th, Fleet Readiness Center East saw the completion of a major expansion project at its facilities at Cherry Hill, North Carolina. This expansion saw an increase in facility size and bay space, generating greater capacity and capability for the repair and modification of all types of the F-35 aircraft, and was the result of wider efforts to increase fleet readiness of the type across all branches that employ the airframe. This facility works mainly with USMC F-35B VTOL and F-35 Carrier variants aircraft, and works with U.S. Air Force F-35A aircraft as well.
FRCE is the main site for depot level maintenance and modification of the Navy and Marine Corps F-35 fleet. In a navy press release, commanding officer Capt. Randy Berti said that this expansion will have a direct impact on the capabilities and capacity of FRC East, and the fleet as a whole.
Berti was quoted saying, “As we celebrate today’s milestone, it’s important to reflect on what this expansion means for the F-35 mission readiness and, most importantly, for our warfighters, This expansion is a direct investment in our ability to meet the increasing demands of the F-35 program.”
Last December, FRC East saw the induction of the 150th F-35 into its program. FRC East so far has mainly seen the majority of its work centered around the Marine Corps’s F-35B VTOL variant, however the site also sees a growing focus on the Navy’s F-35C Carrier capable variant, and has also worked on the Air Force’s F-35A variant, demonstrating the capability and scale of work performed at the site, as well as the need for expansion.
Berti continued saying, “This expansion is a direct investment in our ability to meet the increasing demands of the F-35 program, It will allow us to continue providing high-quality, timely support to the Joint Program Office (JPO), the men and women operating the aircraft and our partners across the globe.”, As per a Navy press release. To date since its opening in 2013, FRC East has seen 158 F-35 aircraft being inducted into its program, with 145 being delivered back into service. This expansion in the facility is expected to increase the amount of aircraft the depot handles and the expansion of the scope of work that the facility is capable of performing.
As the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force all seek to increase fleet readiness and reliance on the F-35 airframe in their operations across the board, depot facilities such as FRC East are an important part of these efforts, and a necessity in making the F-35 a mainstay in U.S. military capabilities as the program intended from its outset.