U.S. Senator Charles Schumer will visit Lockheed Martin employees in Owego today to vow his continued support for the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) and Marine One Presidential Helicopter program. Schumer will focus his push on planned defense contracts between the Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin team and the U.S. Military in order to protect the 2,700 employees in Owego and promote the potential for expansion. Schumer says the CRH program must be an ongoing focus even as the U.S. presence in Iraq and Afghanistan draw down. Schumer will also launch his fight for Lockheed Martin to help make the next fleet of Marine One helicopters for the President of the United States. Lockheed Martin is on the team competing for the contract to build the new fleet of 21 Presidential Helicopters – Marine One – along with its partner, Sikorsky to replace the 35 and 40 year-old current fleet of Presidential helicopters, a process that was launched after the President scuttled the first bid process for being too expensive. Schumer will launch his fight for the Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin team to be awarded this contract, which would create and sustain hundreds of high-skilled jobs in Owego and bring great prestige to the company and region, should they be selected.
