STRATFORD – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) released the following statement on the news that $354 million in contract modifications has been awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for an additional 29 helicopters to be assembled at Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford.

“The United States Armed Forces continue to invest in Sikorsky because of the company’s record of success and unparalleled leadership in developing cutting edge defense technologies. We support the hardworking men and women of Connecticut who are working to deliver the best helicopters in the world to our military and will continue to fight to keep jobs here in Connecticut. Every dollar that is invested through these contracts employs not only highly skilled workers at Sikorsky, but also workers in sectors across the state, including manufacturing and technology.”

The amount of the contract modification is $354 million and the modification provides funding for the Navy’s Fifth Program Year (PY) for 29 each MH-60R Helicopters and to fund associated Sustaining Engineering, Program Management, Systems Engineering, Provisioning, Technical Publications, other Integrated Logistics Support.

The news of today’s $354 million modification follows news on November 30, 2015, that the Army provided a contract modification of $833 million to fund 48 each UH-60M Helicopters and 24 each HH-60M Helicopters. The estimated cumulative total of the contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is $9.9 billion.

In total, these announcements mean 101 helicopters will be built in Stratford for a total of $1.2 billion.