The Air Force has announced plans to award a $5.5 billion contract for 112 combat rescue helicopters early next year to Sikorsky Aircraft in partnership with Lockheed Martin. The contract would provide a major economic boost to the Owego facility of Lockheed, with about 250 workers in engineering, professional, technical, and support roles likely being assigned to the project. The workers at Lockheed in Owego would be assigned to handle the new helicopters’ modernized mission systems and other specialized equipment. The plan would provide a much-needed boost after the government canceled plans with Lockheed’s Owego facility to develop a new presidential helicopter. The Air Force is still in the initial stages of planning the contract before it awards it in the second quarter of the 2014 fiscal year. The new helicopters would replace the current HH-60G helicopters, which are used to conduct search and rescue missions for downed pilots and crew members. The helicopter is designed to perform 24-hours per day in hostile environments and weather.
