Helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky sent layoff notices to 200 workers last week, according to local news sources. The helicopter manufacturer, based in Stratford, Conn., told the Hartford Business Journal that government spending is being cut in the U.S. and internationally, and many customers are delaying purchase decisions as economic uncertainty persists. “Given all this, we must do all we can to protect our competitiveness while continuing to invest in our future,” said Sikorsky spokesman Paul Jackson. Sikorsky employs about 16,000 people around the world, including about 8,600 in Connecticut, according to the HBJ.
Defense consultant Loren Thompson told the Hartford Courant the downsizing is likely to continue, since Sikorsky will see a drop in government contracts due to the winding down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, things could change for the company if they win the contract for an armed aerial scout helicopter, which is still under consideration. “Sikorsky looks like the front-runner to win the advanced aerial scout,” said Thomspon. “If the program unfolds quickly they may be calling people back to the factory.”
