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FRCSW Supports GWOT

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070803-16
Release Date: 8/3/2007 2:09:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chelsea J. Kennedy, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) helped two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters return overseas and continue supporting the global war on terrorism (GWOT) July 25.

The helicopters were loaded during the early morning hours into an Air Force C-5 Galaxy at Naval Air Station North Island to be shipped back to the troops in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

In 2004, the North Island Naval Aviation Depot stood up a CH-53 aircraft line to support the maintance mission on the West Coast. Since the line began, 25 CH-53 aircraft have been overhauled, each taking approximately 15,000 man hours. In an effort to streamline the maintenance process, North Island Naval Aviation Depot and the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department merged in 2006 to form FRCSW.

“We do industrial repairs, which consists of stripping the air craft down to 'parade rest' and totally reassembling the aircraft, removing all corrosion,” said FRCSW Commanding Officer Capt. Fred Cleveland. “We repair everything that was broken, and totally remake the aircraft so it can serve in any environment.”

The CH-53E Super Stallion is the “work horse” for the Marine Corps and needs regular maintenance from its heavy use in the fleet. FRCSW rebuilds CH-53’s for the fleet.

These aircraft were in service supporting OIF for approximately five years prior to their arrival at FRCSW.

Work on the aircraft included repairing frame damage, skin replacement and repair, transition bulkhead replacement, cockpit floorboard replacement, structural enhancements, Kapton electrical wiring upgrade, and corrosion repair throughout the fuselage. After completing the repairs, both CH-53Es were returned directly to Marine Corps units Iraq.

“Being a retired Marine I still like to do whatever I can to support the military,” said Kurt Butler, at FRCSW. “I had one of my former units send me a picture of a helicopter that pulled them out of a fire fight and it was one of the aircraft that we rebuilt.”

FRCSW is the only command of its kind on the West Coast. When first established, the command took 400 days to complete an aircraft overhaul - now it takes only 180 days. FRCSW has accomplished such remarkable success through AirSpeed initiatives, a Navywide program to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

“We are an essential factor in how this war is fought. The GWOT is an expensive proposition and if we can drive down our costs, [it will] allow more funds to be dedicated to actually fighting the war,” said Cleveland. “We are doing more in less time and are working to streamline even more.”