Photo By Michael A Furlano | Three engineers at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest were honored as Associate Fellows... read more read more
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FRCSW Engineers Named Associate Fellows
NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. – Three engineers from Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) were selected as 2025 Associate Fellows by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). Dr. Justin Massey, Mr. John Funk, and Mr. Richard Lee were the recipients of this distinction and their selection marks an historic moment for the command while also reinforcing its technical leadership within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) enterprise.
The Associate Fellow title is awarded to the top 3% of technical professionals across NAVAIR, recognizing individuals who demonstrate engineering expertise, innovation, and enduring impact in their fields.
Massey, Division Head for Composites and Corrosion, earned the honor after years of driving major advancements in composite aircraft repair. Known for pioneering the Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform or “DRIFT” technique - a method used to detect heat damage in composite materials - Massey redefined how the Navy approaches repairs that were once deemed unfeasible. The technique, now implemented across multiple platforms including the F/A-18 and F-35, emerged from a lab under his direction.
“It legitimizes years of high-level, passionate work,” Massey said. “To be recognized early in my career, and to follow in the footsteps of previous winner and leaders like Ed Harris and Doug Pearl, means everything. This title places me in a community of engineers considered go-to experts across the Department of Defense.”
Massey’s technical leadership reaches beyond the command. He’s contributed to NATO programs, co-founded national-level composite working groups, and currently leads an effort to automate composite repair using artificial intelligence. As he transitions to the Office of Naval Research in Japan, Massey will continue advancing technologies that enhance naval aviation’s operational agility in the Indo-Pacific Region and across the globe.
Funk, a Subsystems Engineering Team Lead, brought a wide breadth of experience to his selection. With nearly 25 years across multiple aircraft platforms and NAVAIR sites - including Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE), Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD and at Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) in San Diego - Funk established himself as a versatile, solutions-driven leader. His work ranges from addressing fuel tank pressurization on the EA-6B to supporting critical mishap investigations on the E-2D.
“It’s a reflection of the opportunities I’ve had and the people who guided me,” Funk said. “Much of my work centers on supporting the fleet, from field troubleshooting to cross-site collaboration on subsystems readiness.”
Funk actively contributes to the Subsystems Community of Practice, a NAVAIR-wide group focused on policy, technical authority, and information sharing across commands. His mentorship has shaped the next generation of engineers at FRCSW, and his team continues to develop and implement tools like ultrasonic leak detectors and technology driven diagnostic equipment for real-time fleet support.
For Lee, a senior materials engineer specializing in low observable coatings, the selection brought both pride and reflection. Originally joining the Navy at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and later transferring to FRCSW, Lee focused his career on building technical depth within a tightly knit coatings discipline.
“When I reviewed my technical body of work for the nomination, I found myself thinking more about the people and the teams I’ve worked with,” Lee said. “From the Low Observable Working Group we built here to it becoming a national capability, it’s been about collaboration.”
Lee played a central role in developing repair standards for stealth coatings, transforming FRCSW into a trusted hub for low observable maintenance. His influence spans the fleet, with repair toolkits and documentation now standard across squadrons - tools that originated from early engineering efforts he led years ago.
Massey, Funk, and Lee represent different disciplines, but they share a common purpose: to improve the readiness, efficiency, and resilience of naval aviation.
Their selection as Associate Fellows affirms FRCSW’s role as an innovation leader and highlights the fact that they are the Backbone of Readiness and a critical link between engineering excellence and warfighter success.
In an era of accelerating modernization, contested logistics, and evolving threats, their work strengthens the Navy’s technical foundation—ensuring our aircraft remain ready, our mission endures, and our warfighters are never without support.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2025 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 497947 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fleet Readiness Southwest Engineers Earn Designation, by Michael A Furlano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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