ROME, N.Y. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – L3Harris and Strategic Global Aviation have partnered to help the U.S. Air Force stay mission ready by expanding its aircraft maintenance and repair solutions.

Strategic Global Aviation – also known as SGA, received its first USAF C-130 mid-cycle paint aircraft as part of L3Harris’ C-130 Contract Depot Maintenance Contract which will support the Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

“What we’re doing here is building a world-class MRO and with that, when we say world-class, we’ll be doing work globally,” explained Tom Kane, CEO of SGA.

“So, the jobs that will come here as a result of that will hopefully be higher paying jobs than the area’s used to, and certainly the long-term type of work because once you bring a customer into a hangar-like this, and you perform well, they want to come back.”

He continued, “And that’s our goal – is to build so that the customer experience is such that they don’t want to go anywhere else but Rome, New York.”

This world-class, military aerospace MRO, which stands for “maintenance, repair, and overhaul” is located at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, and is partnering with L3Harris, which has customers in more than 100 countries; thus making it possible for both organizations to grow.

But it’s also making history in other ways…

“What’s also fantastic as well is it’s also the first DOD aircraft as well,” said Sarah Tatsch, Vice President & GM, L3 Harris Technologies. “It’s a big deal.”

Strategic Global Aviation has an 8210 Compliance, which means they have the necessary training and quality control to work on DOD aircraft for both flight and ground operations, making them the perfect fit for the contract.

“Also, with that,” said Kane, “It allows a smaller company like ours to actually team up with a much larger prime contractor like L3Harris, which also gives them more capacity and more availability of space and technicians.”

He continued, “We actually qualify to work alongside them now, and we weren’t able to do that before.  Today, we are.”

“And that’s why you see this first aircraft behind us, and so now that’s going to open the door for many more opportunities here.”