Sikorsky Wins Contract Contingent On Military Budget

A deal for the U.S. Air Force to purchase 112 military rescue helicopters from Sikorsky is contingent on the program surviving military budget cuts.

Sikorsky will build the Combat Rescue Helicopters (CRH) only if they are funded by Congress, and the Air Force has said that the program is not a top priority, according to a report from Reuters.

Air Force spokeswoman Erika Yepsen said in a statement said "The award is contingent on the outcome of the president's budget review process, where CRH would need to be funded across the future year's defense program."

Sikorsky provided the only "acceptable" bid for the replacement of the fleet of aging HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter currently in use. The service had originally selected Boeing's H-47 Chinook for the program, but that $15 billion contract was canceled after multiple protests from other manufacturers in 2009.

If the contract proceeds, it would be worth $6.8 billion to Sikorsky.

(Pave Hawk helicopter image from file)

FMI: www.af.mil