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Conn. Fights To Keep Servicing Of Marine One In State

Hannah Rosen
/
Flickr

On Monday Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus seeking to keep the servicing of the President’s Marine One helicopter fleet in Connecticut.   

The U.S. Navy is considering moving the servicing of the President’s Marine One fleet from the Sikorsky Aircraft Plant in Stratford, Connecticut, to one of its facilities in Florida.  

Speaking at the Stratford plant, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., says moving the servicing would not save the government money.   

“The cost effective decision, the right decision is to leave this work in Connecticut. It is more than just jobs at stake here. It is the quality of work, the safety and reliability of maintaining and sustaining these helicopters.”  

The helicopters in the presidential fleet have been built by Sikorsky since 1957. A total of 85 unionized Sikorsky employees handle the repair and maintenance of the fleet. The Connecticut company is now a subsidiary of Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Aerospace.   

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year.