Defense Department OKs purchase of 200 Sikorsky choppers for Marines

The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the purchase of 200 Sikorsky-produced CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps. The heavy-lift King Stallion is reportedly one of the most expensive military aircraft vehicles around, projected to initially cost around $122 million per unit.

The helicopters will be produced at Sikorsky”™s facility in Stratford.

“The headline is that these state-of-the-art helicopters will be made in Connecticut,” declared Gov. Dannel Malloy. “This isn”™t only about Sikorsky ”“ it”™s also about the supply chain companies and the thousands of employees in every corner of our state who will benefit. That”™s why we worked so hard to ensure the CH-53K King Stallion would be built right here in Connecticut.”

Malloy negotiated a deal last fall between the state and Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky”™s parent company, to keep the helicopter maker in Connecticut.