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Wed, Aug 18, 2010

GOP Candidates Make Russian Helos A Political Football

Debate Centers On The State And Congressional District Sikorsky Calls Home

Two Republican candidates in Connecticut who are hoping to win seats in Congress this fall which are currently held by Democrats made a Navy plan to buy Russian helicopters an issue in their campaigns.

NAVAIR (Naval Air Systems Command) is considering the purchase of Russian-made MI-17 helicopters for use in Afghanistan, saying that Afghan pilots are already familiar with the operation and flight characteristics of the aircraft. Sikorsky contends that its S-61 helicopter is comparable, and wants to bid on the NAVAIR contract. The company has gone so far as to file a formal protest with the U.S. GAO earlier this month.

One of the seats, Connecticut's third CD, is home to Sikorsky. Republican Jerry Labriola is challenging Democrat Rosa DeLauro for the seat. He told Fox News "Sikorsky is a great plant with great people and I don't think they're getting the proper representation." 

Linda McMahon, who is running for Senate in Connecticut, said in a letter to Fox News "It is outrageous to me that Sikorsky wasn't afforded the opportunity to bid on this contract. The Pentagon has both a fiscal responsibility and a patriotic responsibility to, at a minimum, allow American manufacturers to compete with  foreign firms for these important contracts, particularly given that Sikorsky's helicopters are the world standard in military helicopters." The Senate seat is open following the retirement of Democrat Chris Dodd, and McMahon is running against Democrat Dick Blumethal, the state's Attorney General.


Mi-17 File Photo

Neither Democrat has discussed the helicopter deal.

For its part, the Pentagon says the purchase of the MI-17's is a "stop gap" measure and that there will be plenty of opportunity for competitive bidding in the future. Pentagon officials said in a statement it is "committed to expanding the Afghan Air Force from 35 Mi-17s to 56 Mi-17s to meet immediate operational requirements, while also identifying alternative platforms for addressing longer-term needs."

FMI: www.navy.mil, www.sikorsky.com

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