Sustainment Capacity Expands

The Navy and an El Paso defense manufacturer are adding capacity at the same time, expanding the repair bays and factory lines behind U.S. military readiness. (governor.nc.gov; elpasoinc.com) In North Carolina, the N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston signed a 10-year agreement with the U.S. Navy that state officials said will bring more than 400 jobs to eastern North Carolina. The site will support maintenance and aircraft overhaul for Fleet Readiness Center East, the Navy depot at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. (governor.nc.gov; businessnc.com) Gov. Josh Stein said the Navy contract is worth $15 million a year and takes effect once Fleet Readiness Center East fully occupies its 65-acre space at the TransPark. State lawmakers approved a $350 million loan in 2023 for site work tied to the project, and construction on additional hangars is underway. (governor.nc.gov; wcti12.com) Fleet Readiness Center East is the Navy’s aircraft repair hub at Cherry Point, where mechanics overhaul and modernize military planes and helicopters so they can return to service. The Kinston expansion adds off-base room for that work at a time when the Pentagon and its suppliers have been trying to clear maintenance and production bottlenecks. (governor.nc.gov; ncdot.gov) In El Paso, ReadyOne Industries said rising U.S. military demand is pushing it to scale both production and hiring. The company recently received a $183.4 million contract modification tied to Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, or JSLIST, protective gear used in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environments. (elpasoinc.com; readyone.org) ReadyOne said it is hiring immediately for sewing machine operators and other manufacturing roles, with most new jobs expected to go to workers with disabilities. The company operates under the AbilityOne program, which requires that at least 75% of direct labor be performed by people with disabilities. (readyone.org; ktsm.com) The two expansions sit on different ends of the same supply chain: one repairs aircraft already in service, and the other turns out protective clothing for troops. Both are responses to higher operational demand, which has pushed the Pentagon to lean on depots, parts suppliers and contract manufacturers for more output. (governor.nc.gov; elpasoinc.com) North Carolina officials have framed the Kinston project as a long-build effort that started before this week’s lease, with a June 2024 groundbreaking for a Fleet Readiness Center East C-130 maintenance, repair and overhaul complex expected to create more than 400 jobs and generate $400 million in investment. ReadyOne’s growth follows earlier military apparel awards in 2024 and now extends that production run into 2026. (ncdot.gov; kvia.com; readyone.org) What happens next is mostly construction and hiring. The Navy’s payments begin when the Kinston site is occupied, and ReadyOne said it is already recruiting workers in El Paso to meet current orders. (governor.nc.gov; readyone.org)