Photo By Ashley Sherman | 230119-N-XI522-005 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 19, 2023) Daniel Simon, Fleet Readiness...... read more read more
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –Snowy white walls, smooth sliding windows and a new roof are just a few of the improvements that the eye could see at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast’s (FRCSE) Hangar 101 ribbon-cutting ceremony onboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Thursday, Jan. 19.
After three years of work, Hangar 101, which previously held FRCSE’s F/A-18 Hornet Production Line, was unveiled two months ahead of its expected March 2023 completion date.
“A project of this magnitude takes many partners from our Facility and Plant Planning Division to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) and the many contractors who helped make this renovation come to fruition,” said FRCSE’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Grady Duffey. “As a command, we are eager to bring our artisans back in and fill this newly renovated hangar with aircraft that will support of the Naval Aviation Enterprise.”
At approximately 93,000 square feet – equivalent to more than one and a half football fields, not including the attached office spaces, bathrooms, locker rooms and electrical areas – Hangar 101 has seen some updates, expansions and modernizations since its original construction in 1940, but the recent undertaking is the first significant facelift in its history.
The renovation, categorized as a Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (SRM) project, was awarded on Jan. 2, 2020 and began in June of the same year. SRMs keep the same footprint, but are often a complete refurbishment that upgrades and enhances the infrastructure. The hangar received a new electrical system, high bay windows, floors, sprinkler system, roof, HVAC and more.
“The Hangar 101 project began nearly seven years ago from a simple window replacement plan and grew to an overhaul that I certainly couldn’t have imagined or predicted seven years ago as an engineer supervisor,” said Daniel Simon, FRCSE’s Facility and Infrastructure Management Department Director. “Hangar 101 is a historical staple for both FRCSE and NAS Jacksonville. Its renovation demanded respect for its prestigious past, a foot planted firmly in the future and stick-to-itiveness despite many logistical and structural challenges. I’m proud to see it completed and nearly ready to support aircraft repair.”
Tapping in at approximately $56 million, just about the original estimated cost, the project’s allocations were well spent, as the goal was to create a safe, streamlined facility for those who work within its walls.
“This renovation allows artisans the ability to efficiently do their job without worrying about the infrastructure around them,” said Simon. “It gives artisans a work environment that matches their quality of work and provides peace of mind.”
But Hangar 101’s rehab isn’t fully complete. First on the docket were essential updates to the infrastructure and its structural integrity. Next is a secondary plan to upgrade the hangar’s security to ensure the command is ready for fifth and subsequent generation aircraft.
As current and future workload knocks at FRCSE’s door, what’s been made clear by the recent ribbon cutting and the numerous renovation projects around the command is that the men and women of FRCSE are ready to forge forward, grasping innovation with both hands to confidently take its place among the future of naval aviation’s most elite and prepared organic maintenance facilities.
About Fleet Readiness Center Southeast
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) is Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, employing approximately 5,000 civilian, military and contract workers. With annual revenue exceeding $1 billion, the organization serves as an integral part of the greater US Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers by maintaining the combat airpower for America’s military forces.
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2023 08:18 |
| Story ID: | 439750 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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