Sikorsky Officially Challenges Black Hawk Replacement Contract

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford-based Sikorsky filed a formal protest Wednesday asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office to review the U.S. Army’s decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft contract, officials announced.

Sikorsky lost out on the U.S. Army’s contract to build the replacement aircraft for its Black Hawk helicopters.

The U.S. Army announced earlier this month that it has awarded the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contract to Texas-based Bell Textron, Incorporated.

“Based on a thorough review of the information and feedback provided by the Army, Lockheed Martin Sikorsky, on behalf of Team DEFIANT, is challenging the FLRAA decision,” Sikorsky announced in a statement on Wednesday. “The data and discussions lead us to believe the proposals were not consistently evaluated to deliver the best value in the interest of the Army, our Soldiers and American taxpayers. The critical importance of the FLRAA mission to the Army and our nation requires the most capable, affordable and lowest-risk solution. We remain confident DEFIANT X is the transformational aircraft the Army requires to accomplish its complex missions today and well into the future.”

See also: What Sikorsky's Helicopter Contract Loss Could Mean For CT Economy

Gov. Ned Lamont said he fully supported the company’s decision to “request an independent review regarding how the decision to award this contract was conducted.”

“I remain confident that Sikorsky is the best and most capable company to deliver this next generation aircraft to the U.S. Army and that Connecticut’s exceptionally skilled workforce is the best trained in the country to manufacture this aircraft,” Lamont said in a statement. “A thorough evaluation of the process and each of the proposals is in the best interests of the military and the American taxpayers.”

House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congressman John Larson (CT-01), Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) released the following statement on the announcement of Sikorsky challenging the Army decision on FLRAA:

“Today Sikorsky has made the decision to protest the Army’s recent award on Future Long Range Assault (FLRAA) Aircraft.

“The public, Members of Congress, and most importantly, the workers at Sikorsky, are entitled to a robust, fair, and clear process. Our National security and Connecticut jobs are on the line.

“Despite direct engagement with the Army, we as Members of Congress have not yet been able to get the answers that we need regarding how the Army came to their original decision on FLRAA. This is unacceptable.

“We are hopeful that this protest action and the forthcoming process will shed light on the Army’s decision making, and that the highest level of fidelity is conducted throughout.”

“We will not relent in our shared mission to ensure that Stratford continues to build the helicopters of the future, and that good paying jobs stay in Connecticut.”