The Connecticut Post February 08, 2006
Sikorsky praise called into question
Rumsfeld accused of playing to Lieberman during Senate hearing
By Peter Urban
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Tuesday credited the Sikorsky-built Seahawk helicopter with doubling the Navy's effective sea strength.
But military analysts said he might have been playing up the helicopter's role for the benefit of a Connecticut senator.
In defending the Pentagon's 2007 budget Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Rumsfeld praised the Seahawk as a "powerful example" of how technological advances are boosting military capabilities.
The Navy can deploy six carrier battle groups today, where only three could be deployed six years ago, "because Seahawks are flying" to resupply the ships, he said.
Military analysts discounted the claim, saying that Rumsfeld was likely engaged in a bit of hyperbole aimed squarely at Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who sits on the committee.
"He knows that Sen. Lieberman has a soft spot for those helicopters," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, which studies defense, space and intelligence policy.
Rumsfeld made the claim after Lieberman questioned whether budget priorities, such as cutting troop strength, were jeopardizing the nation's military capacity.
"We are undertaking a series of efficiencies that are giving us added capability," Rumsfeld said, citing the Seahawk MH-60, which is built by Sikorsky in Stratford, Conn.
"Secretary Rumsfeld is right. The Navy does have a lot more carriers available, but I don't think the helicopters have much to do with that," Pike said.
In the last three years, Pike said, the Navy shortened its training cycle to allow carriers to deploy more rapidly.
Richard Aboulafia, a defense analyst with the Teal Group in Fairfax, Va., said Seahawks do help, but doubted they deserve sole credit for such a substantial increase in military capabilities.
Kimberly Reidy, a spokeswoman for Sikorsky, also downplayed the significance of Rumsfeld's remarks.
"Our products are always out there performing the missions they were designed for," she said. "This is just another example of that being the case."
Lieberman's office took Rumsfeld's remarks with a grain of salt.
"Sen. Lieberman is happy that Secretary Rumsfeld recognizes the tremendous capability that the Seahawk brings to the Navy. But, it was not the most central example he could have picked," said a Lieberman aide.
Lieberman questioned Tuesday whether the $439.3 billion Pentagon budget adequately supports the security threats faced by the nation.
"If we are transitioning from a traditional force to a military more responsive to irregular and potentially catastrophic threats, then why have all the traditional weapons systems remained in the budget, in many cases receiving an increase in funding, while funding for personnel has been reduced?" he asked.
The Navy recently began to replace its existing fleet of helicopters with Sikorsky MH-60R and MH-60S models.
It expects to buy up to 271 MH-60S Knighthawk and 254 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters over the next decade for vertical replenishment, medical evacuations, logistics, combat search-and-rescue, airborne mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface ship warfare.
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