FRCE
U.S. Navy aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) depot and the Department of Defense Vertical Lift Center of Excellence, operating additive manufacturing capabilities for military aircraft sustainment.
- CEO / Founder
- Capt. Randy J. Berti (Commanding Officer); David W. Rose (Executive Director, Senior Civilian)
- Team Size
- 1001-5000
- Stage
- Active
- Latest Round
- Undisclosed
- Key Investors
- null
Technology & Products
Key Products
Depot-level MRO for airframes, engines, and components; additive manufacturing (polymer DLP 3D printing and metal laser powder bed fusion); cold spray metallization repair; Innovation Lab digital maker space; engineering services; parts manufacturing and assembly; organic manufacturing for hard-to-source components.
Technological Advantage
In-house metal additive manufacturing (laser powder bed fusion with aluminum, expanding to stainless steel); polymer DLP 3D printing for mass production; cold spray metallization technology; Innovation Lab for rapid prototyping; organic manufacturing capability reducing reliance on traditional supply chains; designated AM Center of Excellence within COMFRC.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
FRCE provides depot-level maintenance, repair, overhaul, engineering, and logistics support for Navy and Marine Corps aviation platforms, with growing in-house additive manufacturing (polymer and metal) capabilities to produce flight-certified parts on demand, reducing supply chain lead times and improving fleet readiness.
How They Differentiate
FRCE is the DoD Vertical Lift Center of Excellence and the COMFRC Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence; leads the Navy in certifying and fielding metal 3D-printed flight parts; largest MRO provider in North Carolina with >4,000 personnel; specializes in vertical lift platforms (H-53, V-22, AH-1, UH-1, F-35B/C).
Market & Competition
Target Customers
U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, other U.S. armed services, federal agencies, and foreign governments operating Navy/Marine Corps aircraft platforms.
Industry Verticals
Aerospace/Defense; Military Aviation; Government
Competitors
Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW); Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE); Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic (FRCMA)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Annual revenue exceeds $865M-$1B (as of 2025-2026); workforce of 4,000+ (military, civilian, and contract); 2.1M sq ft facility across 147 acres; 119 structures; expanding F-35 and C-130 workload with planned hiring.
Major Milestones
1943: Founded as Assembly & Repair Dept at MCAS Cherry Point; 2006: Renamed Fleet Readiness Center East under BRAC realignment; 2017: First F-35C inducted for depot maintenance; 2020: Innovation Lab established; 2025: First flight-certified metal 3D-printed parts (AH-1Z pylon fitting) delivered to fleet; 2025: Produced 2,000 3D-printed F-35 O-ring tools in under 2 weeks; 2026: Completed metal AM capability demonstration in under 6 months; delivered V-22 landing gear repair fitting and C-130 blanking plate.
Notable Customers
U.S. Navy; U.S. Marine Corps; U.S. Air Force (F-35 program); foreign military partners operating F-35; H-1 Fleet Support Team; V-22 Fleet Support Team; C-130 Fleet Support Team