Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Lawmakers to Navy: Leave Marine One Upkeep in Connecticut

 (Associated Press)


Connecticut's congressional delegation is urging the U.S. Navy to suspend any possible plans to shift maintenance of the Marine One presidential helicopter fleet from Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford to a facility in Florida.

Members of the state's all-Democratic delegation sent a letter Monday to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus urging him to hold off on any relocation pending a "thorough review of all direct and indirect costs" of a possible relocation.

The delegation says no other facility has the expertise to maintain the helicopters. They say the fleet has been supported and maintained by about 85 workers in Stratford over the past four decades.

Sikorsky was acquired by Maryland-based Lockheed Martin in 2015.

Negotiations concerning the Marine One contract between Lockheed Martin and the Navy recently fell through.



(Associated Press / Military.com)

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