This month, the U.S. Navy has begun providing its F-16 aggressor fighters with enhanced maintenance and sustainment infrastructure to ensure their operability. This has been achieved by placing them under the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW), the primary organization on the U.S. West Coast for such tasks. The center specializes in aircraft operated by both the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps, which will now join efforts with the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) and the Composite Fighter Squadron 13 (VFC-13).
Regarding this decision, Jacob Weintraub, head of FRCSW’s MRO-E division, stated:“The addition of the F-16 workload demonstrates FRCSW’s adaptability and commitment to servicing all branches of the armed forces (…) It is an exciting opportunity to expand our support and showcase the high-caliber skills of our artisans and engineers.”
Delving into details, the U.S. Navy confirmed that the transition required significant facility upgrades at FRCSW to meet stipulated requirements, marking the first time the F-16 platform has been incorporated at the “depot level” within the force. Given the on-the-fly nature of this process, Division Chief Weintraub noted that expanding the training of personnel deployed at FRCSW was also necessary, presenting various challenges.
One illustrative example is how FRCSW engineers had to train in the application of protocols and tools previously unique to the U.S. Air Force, such as the Enhanced Technical Information Management System (ETIMS). Additionally, the first F-16 aggressor fighter to arrive required urgent maintenance, including the removal and replacement of its wings due to structural issues. For these and other tasks, the Navy received support from U.S. Air Force engineers.
This development aligns with the broader effort by the U.S. Navy to modernize its aggressor fleet, a program launched in 2023. Notably, the Navy contracted Amentum for approximately $818 million to maintain and upgrade its F-16 aircraft, extending each fighter’s service life by about 8,000 hours. Furthermore, seeking replacements for aging F-5 Tiger II and F/A-18 Hornet aggressors, the Navy confirmed the acquisition of 20 F-16C Block 32 and six two-seat F-16D Block 25 aircraft retired from the U.S. Air Force. This number could have significantly increased had the Navy succeeded in purchasing decommissioned F-16s from the Hellenic Air Force.
Cover Image: NAVAIR
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