Oct. 19—As it sweats out a Pentagon call on the eventual replacement for the Black Hawk helicopter, Sikorsky saw declining production this summer in advance of an anticipated rebound into next year cranking out new helicopters for the Marine Corps.
Sikorsky has its main factory in Stratford as a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. The Bethesda, Md.-based defense conglomerate updated investors Tuesday morning on its results for its third fiscal quarter ending in late September, with sales up 7 percent from three months earlier to $16.6 billion, and profits up 10 percent to $2.1 billion.
Lockheed Martin does not break out Sikorsky revenue aside from quarter-to-quarter changes. Revenue for Sikorsky's larger rotary and mission systems division was $3.8 billion, about $230 million below its total for the preceding three months for a 6 percent decline.
Sikorsky delivered 20 helicopters over three months through late September, a third fewer than in the prior three months that contributed to a $160 million decline in revenue.
The U.S. Department of Defense is analyzing the proposed Defiant-X helicopter from Sikorsky and Boeing to phase out the Black Hawk and other military helicopters over the coming several decades Textron subsidiary Bell offering the V-280 Valor using the tilt-rotor technology Bell pioneered with the V-22 Osprey.
DOD officials have pushed back a final decision to later this year, with contracts for thousands of new aircraft at stake for the rival companies.
"It's their schedule and timeline, and we think we've put in a terrific offer," said Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, speaking Tuesday morning on a conference call. "We think it's the best solution for the actual, frontline Army — or other service — pilot, and it's going to be up the U.S. government to see where they come out on that."
Sikorsky's newest variant of the Black Hawk platform is the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter that is being manufactured in Stratford. The U.S. Air Force is planning for a fleet of about 75 helicopters — down significantly from earlier plans — that it will position around the globe to rescue pilots in the event they are shot down in enemy territory, and other missions. The Jolly Green II is replacing the Air Force's existing fleet of Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters.
In its main production bay in Stratford, Sikorsky now has new CH-53K King Stallion helicopters under assembly for the Marines, the largest helicopter ever fielded for the U.S. military.
Sikorsky is also gearing up to produce a dozen Seahawk helicopters for Australia in a $507 million contract, with expectations for continued international sales of Seahawk and Black Hawk helicopters.
[email protected]; @casoulman
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