Gov. Stein joins military leaders to open FRC East aircraft maintenance complex in Kinston

State and military leaders gathered Thursday, Sept. 17, to celebrate the opening of Fleet Readiness Center East’s new aircraft maintenance complex at the North Carolina Global TransPark, a project expected to bring more than 400 jobs to eastern North Carolina and expand the military’s ability to keep aircraft ready for service.

The C-130/HH-60 maintenance, repair and overhaul complex will support Navy and Marine Corps C/KC-130 aircraft and Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopters. The Navy outlined that mission in its May announcement of a lease agreement for the property.

Speaking inside a hangar at the complex, officials connected the project’s national defense mission with its potential to create skilled careers close to home.

“The paycheck that stays in eastern North Carolina is the point,” former state Sen. Jim Perry said.

Perry described the project as an opportunity for people across the region to build careers without leaving their communities. State lawmakers approved $350 million in funding in 2023 for improvements to accommodate the facility, according to the Navy.

Tom Hendrickson, chairman of the Global TransPark Authority’s board of directors, placed the opening within the park’s decadeslong effort to attract investment and expand economic opportunity.

“This project raises the bar for what is possible here, and I know there’s more to come,” Hendrickson said.

Global TransPark Executive Director Jeremy Stroud welcomed attendees and described the project as the result of cooperation among state, federal and local partners. He emphasized both the economic opportunities and the responsibility of supporting military readiness.

Erica Plath, deputy assistant secretary of war for logistics, said that readiness depends on the work performed long before an aircraft deploys.

“Readiness does not happen by accident,” Plath said. “It is built component by component, inspection by inspection, right here on the hangar floor.”

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Walsh stressed the connection between aircraft maintenance and the military’s ability to carry out its missions.

“Sustainment isn’t a supporting function anymore, it is the fight,” Walsh said.

Navy Capt. Randy J. Berti, commanding officer of Fleet Readiness Center East, recognized the employees and partners behind the expansion and described the complex’s significance beyond its physical construction.

“It’s a symbol of the resilience of our nation,” Berti said.

The opening also builds on the region’s investment in aviation training. Lenoir Community College opened its Senator Jim Perry Aviation Center for Excellence at the Global TransPark in May. According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, some coursework is designed to prepare students for jobs with the park’s aviation employers, including FRC East.

State Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson emphasized the relationship among workforce development, military investment and local communities.

“DOT is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our military, our economic partners, and our communities as we work together to strengthen our national defense, empower our workforce, and continue to make North Carolina one of the greatest places to live, to work, and to serve,” Johnson said.

Gov. Josh Stein closed the program by crediting the cooperation that brought the facility to Kinston.

“This ribbon cutting shows what’s possible through partnership, so I want to thank everyone who came together to make it happen,” Stein said.