Schumer: LI Aerospace and Defense Industries Should Be Promoted Internationally

Secretary Gary Locke
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230

Dear Secretary Locke:

On the eve of your impending trade mission to India, which the president has urged, to advocate on behalf of American defense and aerospace companies, I write to bring to your attention, and urge you to promote, the historic and prolific Long Island defense and aerospace industry.

The Long Island defense and aerospace industry has a proud history of prioritizing U.S. national security, superior innovation and exceptional results. Developing an increasingly symbiotic relationship with India is crucial, given India’s emerging economic power, its rapidly expanding middle class, its regional strategic significance for our international interest, and as a growing partner in international trade between our nations, including advanced industrial exports. I believe that there are multiple firms on long island that, with help from the Commerce Department, can forge win-win relationships with the market for exports in India. This effort has the potential to grow high-tech, good-paying jobs on Long island, and to bolster the American economy by expanding our high-value exports.

Long Island is home to hundreds of companies working in the realm of defense, aerospace and aviation. These companies excel in the competitive world of high-tech manufacturing and include advanced services such as the manufacture of hydraulic power systems, high power RF communication and electronic defensive systems, intelligent transportation systems, wireless communication and sensor systems, aerospace structures and subsystems, and search and navigation systems.

Long Island’s technological industry also remains committed to research and development aimed at consistently improving advancements. One example is the state-of –the-art Morrelly Homeland Security Center Building.  This center is a 90,000 square foot Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems structure that combines the public and private sphere to develop ground-breaking and integrated defense technological solutions. The Center aims to create a beacon of homeland security innovation by combining leaders in prominent local industries with academics on the forefront of research and development.  More broadly, Long Island is home to a globally-recognized educational system (23 colleges and universities) that continues to produce the most capable and ready workforce (engineers, researchers, technicians and assemblers) needed in these industry sectors. Attached to this letter you will find a capabilities document that the Long Island Forum for Technology – a Morrelly Center partner – put together at my request that will highlight the capabilities of various Long Island industries and companies. 

For many decades, Long Island has proven to be a prominent leader within the very industries you seek to promote with the Indian government.  In 1927, Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight to Paris originated on Roosevelt Field on Long Island. This event revolutionized aviation and set the tone for Long Island to continue to advance the industry today.  Here are some recent examples of Long Island technology firms that have reached out to my office about potential Indian opportunities:

• Northrop-Grumman has used its Long Island division to design the vehicle structure and software for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, a cutting-edge military aircraft.  It is my understanding that the Indian government recently issued a Request for Information for a similar aircraft. 

• Telephonics, Inc. specializes in wired and wireless communication and sensor systems for ground vehicle and airborne applications (both fixed wing and rotary wing), Air Traffic Control Systems for military and civil airports, Homeland Security products for border security, and Identification Friend or Foe Interrogator systems.

• Globecomm Systems, Inc is a leading global provider of satellite-based managed network solutions.  Globecomm Systems has developed and is presently fielding a family of lightweight VSAT terminals, which are rapidly deployable and provide secure transportable satellite communications for a wide range of global applications including the support of multiple IP based communication protocols and technology appropriate for use in the tactical battle space. 

These few examples are just an introduction into the capabilities of the Long Island defense and aerospace industries, one which has consistently been marked by success, customer satisfaction and achievement.

In urging India to consider the Unites States’ advancements in the development and manufacturing of cutting edge technologies, you should look to Long Island as an area of investment. Long Island has continuously proven to be successful and inventive in the areas of aerospace, IT and communication technologies. The level of dedication Long Island has put towards this industry is demonstrated by its superior products, knowledge, and advancements. In visiting with Meera Shankar, I respectfully urge you to promote Long Island as a superior region for investment.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.  I appreciate your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
New York