FRC-MW PREPARES FOR THE NEAR-PEER THREAT

FORT WORTH, TX, UNITED STATES

05.18.2023

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class ANIKA JAMES 

Fleet Readiness Center Reserve Mid-West Fort Worth

From LS2 Anika James, Ph.D., Public Affairs Officer, FRCR Mid-West Fort Worth

Fort Worth, TX. – FRC-MW took part in a ground-breaking Fleet Training Exercise (FTX) that tested the Forward Deploy Combat Repair (FDCR) depot capability from May 08-12.
The exercise simulated real battle damage on two stricken F/A-18A+ aircraft using controlled damage scenarios. This allowed the Navy to practice battle damage assessment and repair responses within a real-world scenario.

“We are doing pretty important work, conducting battle damage repair in wartime, preparing for going out into the field and doing band aid repairs to aircraft to get them back in the sky and safe to conduct a one-time flight,” said AM1 Soto, Navy Reserve Center FRC Jacksonville.

CAPT Dwayne Porter’s FRC-MW worked with their local SELRES unit, NR-FRC DET FWT, led by CDR Joe Stewart to leverage the local FRC facilities and the JRB Fort Worth infrastructure to create a training environment for conducting battle damage assessments and repairs in an austere scenario. They practiced the key skill of Planner Assessment, Engineering Investigation and Artisan Repairs to affect the necessary fixes on the aircraft. Post-repair, the aircraft would then be able to return to the flight line and continue the mission or fly back to a proper hangar environment for full depot level structural repairs.

“Standing up an old program, after 37 years of working in this field, when we are in hot zones/battle fields it’s all about getting mobile again weather it’s for a one-time flight or getting back into the fight, it comes down to either patching or fixing. Patch it means it’s going back to the rear and fix it means it’s going back to the fight.” Mr. Sam Miller, Depot Level Artisan, FRC Lemoore.

"Big Navy has asked the reserves to be the supplementary arm for Forward Deployed Combat Repair for ramping up our ability to be deployed anywhere around the world, fixing airplanes that are damaged above the standard level of repair.” We do this by “utilizing the depot level artisans, engineers, planners and estimators that are ready to go and get aircrafts back either into the fight or the next level of care.” LT. Plummer, FRCR Mid-West Detach Fort Worth.

Twenty-five students participated in the training. Various FRC’s from around the country supplied 15 artisans, 3 structural engineers and 2 planners for the FTX. The biggest challenge was changing the maintenance mindset from doing full scale depot repairs that would return aircraft to their full original capability, to conducting in-service repairs that are sufficient to get aircraft back into the fight.

“The Navy is on a trajectory to develop and be prepared to provide this crucial capability in time of need when we are called upon.” LT. Plummer, FRCR Mid-West Detach Fort Worth.

• Date Taken: 05.18.2023
• Date Posted: 06.15.2023 12:14
• Story ID: 447272
• Location: FORT WORTH, TX, US