The AV-8B Weapon Systems Program Office (PMA-257) recently recognized Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) for its outstanding support of the AV-8B Propulsion Integrated Product Team and the AV-8B Harrier fleet.
Col. Mark R. Amspacher, PMA-257 program manager, visited FRCE Mar. 31 and presented staff with letters of appreciation citing the depot’s direct contribution to the readiness of the Marine Corps’ AV-8B fleet and support in meeting its war fighting missions.
FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. James Belmont said he was pleased to see the team’s hard work and out-of-the-box thinking acknowledged by leaders in the AV-8B community.
“I could not be more proud of the team here at FRCE,” Belmont said. “Seeing a program office recognize our people in this way just reinforces to me that we employ some of the most innovative, highly skilled experts in the world, who have real-world impact on flight line readiness for the Harrier fleet and beyond. They will stop at nothing to ensure our warfighters receive the support they need.”
According to Christopher Day, FRCE’s Engines and Dynamic Components Branch lead, FRCE began identifying potential supply constraints with the AV-8B’s fuel management units (FMUs) as early as 2019, and proactively began searching for solutions.
“The AV-8B Harrier is in its sunset years,” Day said. “The F-35 will replace the Harrier at some point, but we still need to maintain AV-8B capability. Harriers are still going out and serving the country across the globe. It was vital that we continue fuel control production for these Harriers and their F402 engine.”
The AV-8B is a vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) strike aircraft powered by the F402 turbofan engine. Combining tactical mobility, responsiveness and basing flexibility, both afloat and ashore, V/STOL aircraft are particularly well suited to the special combat and expeditionary requirements of the Marine Corps.
The FMU is an essential part of the AV-8B’s F402 engine. Day compares it to the carburetor in a car, albeit a very large and complex one. It delivers fuel to the Harrier’s engine and the aircraft cannot fly without it.
“Without a fuel control you don’t have an F402 engine,” said Day. “And without an engine you lose the close air support capability that the Harrier provides. This was a ‘couldn’t fail’ type of effort. Everything that we could put on the table, we put on the table.”
To overcome potential issues with obtaining new FMU materials through traditional supply sources, a cross-disciplinary team consisting of members from the program office and FRCE artisans, engineers and planners was formed to look at creative ways to ensure production of this vital part of the Harrier power plant would not be impacted. One option – salvaging out-of-service fuel controllers that could be dismantled to provide piece parts for use in newly overhauled, ready-for-issue FMUs – showed promise. Rigorous examination and testing confirmed this approach was a viable option.
“We decided that it might be possible to minimize throwing out some of the old parts,” Day said. “We had them inspected and the team worked with engineering to add processing steps to prolong the life of some of these critical parts, and we were able to do that.
“It took an exhaustive effort on engineering’s part to get these to the lab and analyze the data to make a safe-for-flight determination,” he continued. “We also used the RILOP program, or reclamation in lieu of procurement. We basically brought in older-style FMUs and tore them down for usable parts.”
In addition to putting together and testing new FMUs, FRCE artisans now found themselves tearing down older FMUs and obtaining usable parts. According to David Lawrence, FRCE’s Fuel Control Shop supervisor, his team was more than up to the task.
“The guys who build FMUs in my shop – I can’t say enough good things about them,” said Lawrence. “One of my artisans who builds them has an incredible level of experience, and was able to train two more people and certify them to build FMUs. In our testing area, another artisan, who is a long-time aviation maintenance professional, had trained a secondary operator and is currently training a third operator to test FMUs. During this whole process, there was never a time when folks weren’t on board. Everybody was doing everything they could to get FMUs out the door and where they need to be.”
Despite the hard work involved, Lawrence says the FRCE team focused on the importance of their task, with each team member aware of the vital nature of their work.
“It’s all about supporting the warfighter,” says Lawrence. “At the end of the day, you tell the artisans where the finish line is and they’re going to cross it. The people in this shop have a high level of integrity. The end result is they give that pilot something he or she knows they can get the job done with.”
The innovative thinking and diligent work of the FRCE team have paid off and provide Harrier pilots with a capable and quality aircraft to complete their mission. The depot’s efforts ensure that FMU production continues without a hitch and continues to support Fleet requirements.
“That was absolutely epic for those guys to have someone like Colonel Amspacher come in and present our team with their letters of appreciation,” said Day. “I thought that was outstanding. I’m proud of not just this team, but all the teams we have here in the Engines Branch. They’re always up for a challenge and always looking for ways to keep those engines running and aircraft flying.”
According to Day, the depot’s support of the FMU for the AV-8B is a good example of just how important the work of the FRCE artisans and engineers can be.
“These FMUs are going on a single engine aircraft,” said Day. “The readiness of each of these aircraft is vital to our country. Things happen in the world that we need to be ready for. Right now, the Harrier is still that aircraft that needs to be ready to go. It is our job, along with the Marines, to ensure that the AV-8B can go, will go, and will be on-site at any time.”
FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.
Learn more at www.navair.navy.mil/frce or https://www.facebook.com/FleetReadinessCenterEast.