Schumer expresses support for preserving helicopter contracts at Lockheed’s Owego site

OWEGO — U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–NY) today offered his support for planned defense contracts between the Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky team and the U.S. military.

Schumer visited the Lockheed (NYSE: LMT) plant in Owego to pledge his support for the firm’s approximately 2,700 local employees.

Bethesda, Md.–based Lockheed Martin, a defense contractor, has worked with Stratford, Conn.–based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) in pursuing such contracts.

One such contract is the mission of the Air Force’s combat-rescue helicopter, the future of which has been subject to an internal Air Force restructuring debate.

That helicopter program “must be an ongoing focus” as the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan are drawn down, Schumer said.

At the same time, Schumer also endorsed the Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky team in its bid to win the contract for the next fleet of Marine One helicopters to transport the President of the United States, according to Schumer’s office.

The Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky team is competing to replace the 35 and 40 year-old current fleet of helicopters, a process that was launched after the President Obama “scuttled” the first bid process for being too expensive four years ago, according to Schumer’s office.

Such a contract would “create and sustain hundreds of high-skilled jobs in Owego,” the Democrat said.

Lockheed recently announced that it would cut 25 jobs at the Owego plant, effective Aug. 15. Those layoffs, plus 114 at its Salina facility, are part of 367 total jobs Lockheed is eliminating in its Mission Systems and Training business in the U.S. The cuts are necessary to address the current business climate, including uncertain program funding, a delay in contract awards, and a very competitive market, the company contends.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com