Availability is critical to the long-term viability of the F-35. The long-term goal is an environment of comprehensive sustainment excellence that will keep the F-35 safely in operation. The duties performed by the Fleet Readiness Center team at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) in MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, enables the squadrons to have enough aircraft to conduct daily missions. Known as the F-35 Rapid Response Team (RRT), they are highly skilled, cross-trained aircraft maintenance professionals ready to answer the call for support at anytime, anywhere in the world. 

RRT members can deploy at a moment’s notice to any location. As more operational squadrons convert from legacy aircraft to the F-35 so has the workload of the team. From October 2021 to June 2022, the F-35 RRT has deployed 12 times to various locations. Having the RRT team available to travel to the aircraft in need has made FRCE the go-to provider for these repairs, rather than sending the aircraft to a depot facility for modification. FRCE quickly provides this support and returns the F-35 back to service. 

Recent deployments to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Abraham Lincoln have allowed the F-35 RRT to shine in its support of naval aviation and flight line readiness. The FRCE artisans were deployed to the aircraft carrier to assist with fixes that were beyond the scope of the organizational-level repairs provided by squadron maintainers. FRCE’s F-35 Rapid Response Team makes global impact on flight line readiness | NAVAIR (navy.mil)