Governor Stein Celebrates North Carolina’s Aviation Tradition and World-Class Workforce at Aircraft Facility Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Today Governor Stein joined officials with the N.C. Global TransPark and the U.S. Navy in Kinston for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) military aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul complex. The facility will provide fleet support to the United States military and bring more than 400 jobs to eastern North Carolina, with an estimated $140 million annual economic impact.
“North Carolina aims to be the most military friendly-state in the nation,” said Governor Josh Stein. “That includes supporting servicemembers, veterans, their families, and our military installations. This military readiness complex will not only strengthen our military but also create hundreds of good-paying jobs in eastern North Carolina.”
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.
The new complex is the latest major economic development announcement for the Global TransPark. An academy for Lenoir Community College students seeking careers in aviation opened in May. 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.
North Carolina boasts the fourth-largest active-duty military presence in the nation, including the most populated military base in the world and the primary East Coast base of the Marine Corps. Governor Stein’s administration is committed to supporting North Carolina’s military families and veterans. In May, the Governor signed an executive order that directs all cabinet agencies to designate a Military Affairs Coordinator to coordinate shared efforts supporting servicemembers and recommend strategies for addressing opportunities and challenges in supporting military communities.
Last year, Governor Stein signed into law four bills that support servicemembers and their families, helping military spouses transfer their professional licenses from out of state, making it easier to remotely renew driver licenses, aiding parents enrolling their children in public schools, and helping military students afford tuition in the University of North Carolina System. Last year, Governor Stein announced North Carolina became a Do Your Part State – a joint initiative between Blue Star Families and the National Governors Association that supports military families.
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