Fleet Readiness expands to Global TransPark
KINSTON – State, federal and local officials broke ground Tuesday on a North Carolina Global TransPark complex that the U.S. Navy will use to maintain and repair Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.
Officials said the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center East, C-130 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul complex will create more than 400 new jobs and generate $400 million in new investment for the region. The facility will expand the existing Fleet Readiness Center, which is at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock – the state’s largest employer east of Interstate 95.
Construction is scheduled to begin on the new 700,000-square-foot facility later this year and be complete by September 2026. The Navy and Marine Corps will use the facility to maintain and repair C/KC-130J Super Hercules, C/KC-130T Hercules, and HH-60W “Whiskey” Combat Rescue Helicopter.
“This massive MRO complex, with over 16 acres under one roof and over 400 new jobs, will be transformative for the GTP,” said Tom Hendrickson, chairman of the N.C. Global TransPark Authority’s Board of Directors. “The new facility is a testament to the strength of our partnership with Fleet Readiness Center East. It is our largest and most significant collaboration to date, offering unparalleled support for military aviation maintenance while also boosting economic prosperity in our community. This project will bring high-quality jobs to the area, stimulate local businesses and attract new investment to the GTP and the region.”
