Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has commemorated its 100 years in business alongside Australian Defence and business partners at the Avalon International Airshow.
The event highlighted the close and long-standing ties between the United States and Australia and the continued successes of Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky Australia and the Australian Defence Force, according to a news release.
“2023 is a momentous year for Sikorsky as we celebrate our 100th anniversary,” said Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo.
“All of our capabilities are the result of an incredible culture of innovation that started with our founder Igor Sikorsky,” Lemmo continued.
The Sikorsky president also noted that innovation is vital to assisting customers with their most challenging difficulties, and Lemmo said it continues to grow owing in large part to the company’s profound relationships with Australia.
Moreover, Lemmo emphasised the S-51 Dragonfly, which was given to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1947 and was the first Sikorsky aircraft to be used by the Australian Defence Force.
From that point on, Sikorsky’s partnership with Australia was solidified and is still going strong thanks to the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) expanding MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet, said Lemmo.
Defence’s Head of Joint Aviation Systems Major General Jeremy King remarked on the significance of Sikorsky’s 100th anniversary and highlighted Defence’s relationship with the company.
“The MH-60R Seahawk and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters are proven military capabilities that strengthen Australia’s defence and interoperability with the US and allied nations. We have a long history with these platforms and look forward to continuing to deepen our relationship with Sikorsky throughout its second decade,” King noted.
Sikorsky Australia, the RAN’s industry partner for comprehensive Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) support for its MH-60R Seahawk fleet, recently reached another milestone with the 1,000th induction of an intermediate-level maintenance component.
“Completing the 1,000th component induction demonstrates our commitment to strengthen Australia’s sovereign industrial capability,” said Cliff Kyle, Sikorsky Australia general manager.
Kyle stated that the 1,000th component milestone demonstrates Australia’s world-class maintenance capability in supporting the MH-60R, the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter.
