A new U.S. Navy aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility opened in Kinston on Sept. 17, 2026.
The Navy selected the North Carolina Global TransPark as the site for a new facility that expands Fleet Readiness Center East’s MRO capabilities for the Navy C/KC-130T Hercules, Marine Corps C/KC-130J Super Hercules and Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II aircraft, according to a press release from Fleet Readiness Center East.
The new hangar spans about 75 acres and covers 700,000 square feet with direct taxiway access to the Global TransPark’s 11,500-foot runway — one of the longest civilian runways in Eastern NC, the release said.
A press release from the North Carolina Department of Commerce said, “This facility is part of N.C. Global TransPark, a 2,500-acre state-owned, multimodal industrial park in Kinston. In April, the U.S. Navy signed a 10-year lease agreement with the Global TransPark to operate in the facility. State lawmakers in 2023 approved a $350 million loan to N.C. Global TransPark to conduct site improvements to accommodate FRCE. The Navy recently signed a $15 million-per-year contract that will become effective once FRCE fully occupies its 65-acre space at the TransPark,”
“In July, GTP officials announced the arrival of the engineering firm ALTEN Technology USA that will support operations of GTP’s new aerospace tenants, Airbus. GTP has been an attractive site for aviation firms because of its on-site airport and rail connections, as well as environmentally-permitted land and an onsite foreign trade zone,” the release noted.
Regional institutions, like Craven Community College and Lenoir Community College, will help train those specializing in aviation maintenance programs for FRCE.
The project is expected to add about 400 jobs.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.