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Team US101 Clarifies Information on Domestic Content of Presidential Fleet Competitors

OWEGO, NY, June 16th, 2003 -- Team US101 - comprising Lockheed Martin, AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter - today reiterated that its U.S.-built helicopters would include at least 65 percent U.S. content, including the assembly and integration performed by U.S. workers in New York and Texas. Including its vendor and subcontractor team, the US101 will create new jobs all across America. "Although our principal competitor, Sikorsky, has not specified the U.S. content of its S-92 helicopter, it has been erroneously reported that the S-92 is an all-American product," said Steve Ramsey, vice president and general manager of Aerospace Solutions, for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego. "This is simply not the case. In fact, Sikorsky's own literature makes clear that the majority of the S-92 - including the cockpit, main cabin section, vertical tail fin and stabilizer, main rotor pylon, sponsons, and landing gear - are produced by companies from outside the United States."

Team US101 is prepared to fulfill the U.S. Government's 21st century helicopter requirements of the United States Air Force and Coast Guard in their search and rescue missions, and the Marine Corps as an executive transportation replacement for the 30-plus-year-old Marine One helicopter.

"Those who say the President of the United States should not fly in anything but an all-American aircraft obviously have not read Sikorsky's marketing literature touting the S-92 as 'developed and produced by a worldwide, collaborative team'," Ramsey said. "The fact that major components of the S-92 come from China, Taiwan, Japan, Brazil and Spain should eliminate from the discussion erroneous assertions that the S-92 is an 'American' helicopter and the US101 is a 'foreign' helicopter," Ramsey added. "The real issue is which helicopter has the proven track record with which to earn the trust of U.S. operators. That helicopter is the US101. The important thing to remember is that the US101 program is importing technology and jobs for Americans, not exporting them."

The US101 is the American version of AgustaWestland's EH-101 helicopter, widely considered to be the most advanced medium lift helicopter in production today. With over 36,000 hours of accumulated flight time, the EH-101 has been selected by five NATO countries and Japan for 21st century helicopter requirements. Variants are in service in the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and Japan, performing a variety of missions from search and rescue to maritime surveillance, battlefield support, law enforcement and civil operations.

Michael Drake, (607) 751-2598; e-mail: mike.drake@lmco.com