Delegation Says Navy Should Suspend Plans To Move Work While Talks Ongoing

In a letter sent Monday to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3) and Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT-4) called on the Navy to suspend any possible plans to shift maintenance of the Marine One Presidential helicopter fleet from Stratford, Connecticut to a Navy facility in Florida.

The lawmakers say Sikorsky is only facility with the expertise and capability to reliably and safely maintain the Marine One presidential helicopter fleet

“We strongly urge you to suspend any relocation until a thorough review of all direct and indirect costs of any relocation are made,” the letter states.

“No other facility has the standing expertise. Any other facility will require time and money to reach the same standard of maintenance, if they can ever meet this challenge. We are confident that Stratford workers are capable of continuing to complete this work – as they have done reliably and safely throughout the life of the program – with an irreplaceable level of expertise and familiarity with the aircraft that sets them apart.”

(Source: Senator Blumenthal news release. Image from file)

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