Three defense equipment milestones came together at Lockheed Martin Thursday and the celebration also included the first visit to the facility from 23rd District Congressman Tom Reed. Lockheed delivered its 150th MH-60R Multimission Helicopter–or Seahawk–to the U.S. Navy; the company also delivered it’s first automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination system, and its 400th common cockpit, scheduled to be installed in another helicopter later this year as part of the first craft delivered to the Australian Navy. Tom Kane, Director of Naval Programs at Lockheed Martin, said the Seahawk, first delivered seven years ago, has changed the way the Navy conducts operations.
On hand to take delivery of the helicopter and fly it to San Diego was Lieutenant Commander Holly Hoxie, who has a thousand hours of flight with the craft. She hails from Vermont and was excited about the opportunity to fly it cross-country. with stops in Washington DC, Charlotte, Biloxi, San Antonio and Tucson.
Congressman Reed, who serves on the House Ways and Means committee, said he was looking forward to a long working relationship with Lockheed Martin. He pledged support for defense programs, despite political battles looming in Washington over spending cuts and military funding.
Reed called the men and women of Lockheed Martin the hardest working people in the world and praised the advanced technology he had witnessed on the first of what he said would be many visits to Lockheed Martin Owego.
