GEELONG, Australia, 2 March, 2023 – Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), celebrated its 100th anniversary as a company alongside Australian Defence and industry partners at the Avalon International Airshow today.

The occasion emphasised the U.S.-Australia’s deep and enduring relationship and the ongoing accomplishments shared by Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky Australia and the Australian Defence Force.

“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. Innovation is central to our mission of supporting our customers most difficult challenges, and it continues to flourish thanks in large part to the deep ties we share with Australia.”

Lemmo highlighted the first Sikorsky aircraft to enter Australian Defence Force service, a S-51 Dragonfly assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1947. From there, Sikorsky’s relationship with Australia was cemented, and carries on with the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) growing fleet of MH-60R Seahawk^® helicopters.

In addition to the MH-60R, more medium-lift capability is set to arrive this year as the Australian and U.S. Governments recently finalised a foreign military sales deal for Australia to acquire 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk^® aircraft.

“The multi-mission UH-60M Black Hawk provides the Australian Army with critical capabilities that will strengthen Australia’s readiness, interoperability and security for decades to come,” Lemmo said. “We continue to invest in Black Hawk modernization to provide operators with the competitive edge they require to counter and deter threats today and in future Joint All-Domain Operations.”

Sikorsky proudly delivered its 5,000^th Hawk helicopter in January.

Defence’s Head of Joint Aviation Systems Major General Jeremy King remarked on the significance of Sikorsky’s 100^th 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 U.S. 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.”

A Mission-Focused MH-60R Milestone

Sikorsky Australia, the RAN’s industry partner for delivering comprehensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) support for its MH-60R Seahawk^® fleet, recently achieved another milestone with its 1,000^th induction of a component for intermediate-level maintenance.

“Completing the 1,000th component induction demonstrates our commitment to strengthen Australia’s sovereign industrial capability,” said Cliff Kyle, Sikorsky Australia General Manager. “Through support to the ‘Hawk’ family of aircraft over the past 30 years, we have steadily built a sovereign industrial base to support Defence in our role as platform stewards. Our maintenance technicians and logisticians are mission focused and honoured to work alongside ADF personnel to ensure their helicopter fleets are operationally ready for current and future operations

Kyle said the 1,000^th component milestone is a testament to Australia’s world-class maintenance capability supporting the world’s most advanced maritime helicopters, the MH-60R.

Lockheed Martin Australia’s programs support Australia’s current and future defence capabilities, including next generation pilot training, combat systems integration, rotary wing systems and sustainment to 5th generation air combat capability and all-domain surveillance. Employing over 1,200 people across every mainland state and territory, Lockheed Martin Australia programs and projects directly support more than 6,000 additional Australian industry jobs in advanced manufacturing and high technology industries.

For additional information, visit our website: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-au/index.html

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services.

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Media Contact:

US: Jacob Bailey, +1 609-367-3124, jacob.n.bailey@lmco.com

AU: Stacey Ward, +61 439 369 305, stacey.l.ward@lmco.com