Rebuilding Super Hornet readiness

In July of 2018 a 73,800 square foot tension fabric structure was built at NAS Lemoore. The purpose of the Naval Aviation Maintenance Center for Excellence (NAMCE), Lemoore is to take aircraft that are considered long term down aircraft (for example BuNo 166464, which hadn't flown in 8 years) and return them to service. At stand up, there were 66 long term down aircraft that had been cannibalized for other aircraft, in addition to their original maintenance issues. NAMCE can handle up to 6 aircraft at a time. Aircraft beyond that are placed into Level 2 storage.

They are able to rotate 11 aircraft a month through, at which time they're placed back in fleet service and returned to operational units. Last summer the princess was reevaluated and total time per aircraft was reduced to an average of 67 days.

www.navy.mil...

a reply to: Zaphod58



That's a big tent.

LEMOORE, Calif (Feb. 22, 2019) On the aircraft awaiting maintenance on the Naval Air Station Lemoore flight line, aircraft awaiting maintenance are covered in protective barrier paper to prevent corrosion and environmental damage until maintainers from the Naval Aviation Maintenance Center for Excellence (NAMCE) can perform maintenance. NAMCE is one of the newest programs established by the Navy to increase fleet-wide F-18E/F Super Hornet readiness that combines Sailors and contractors to increase operational readiness for the Super Hornets squadrons. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Manuel Tiscareno)

Makes you wonder why they didn't just build a prefab hangar. They are pretty cheap to buy and quick to build. I know we looked at buying one to build in Singapore a few years back when we had a long term repair happening up there.

a reply to: thebozeian

It may have started as simply a time factor. They wanted to get the line stood up as fast as possible, and that was the fastest way to do it. Then it was just a matter of things working so well, they just left it going as is.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Yeah I figured afterwards that's probably whats happened. I guess if becomes a more permanent arrangement they may look at a more permanent structure next door to it. The tents worked reasonably well in Afghanistan and Iraq though. A more permanent structure just gets easier with respect to storage, offices and meal rooms as well as any heating or air conditioning you might need. I know when we looked that the difference between buying a prefab for a code F and renting hangar space from SIA was only marginal. Of course we did the stupid thing in the end and just rented the space.

originally posted by: thebozeian
Makes you wonder why they didn't just build a prefab hangar. They are pretty cheap to buy and quick to build. I know we looked at buying one to build in Singapore a few years back when we had a long term repair happening up there.

Money. But you'd think the fact it's rather windy in CA would get you the budget for a prefab building or existing hangarspace somewhere. Spend some time in tent with a howling wind... (though other people would probably howl if they get evicted haha).