Lockheed Martin joined with state and local government partners today to break ground for the company's new presidential helicopter facility in Owego, NY. Lockheed Martin leads Team US101 that is competing to provide the President of the United States with a new Marine One helicopter fleet.

The new 176,000-square-foot facility will feature offices, laboratories, parts storage, aircraft maintenance facilities and aircraft hangars. The complex also will include a new helicopter landing and takeoff area. The US101 facility will be twice the size of the current hangar facility at Lockheed Martin in Owego.

New York Governor George E. Pataki joined Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego President Frank C. Meyer and Lockheed Martin US101 Vice President and General Manager Stephen D. Ramsey to turn over a ceremonial shovel of earth for the state-of-the-art complex.

"Customer-focused performance and product support are the key words here today," Meyer said. "We have had a very successful relationship with our U.S. Navy customer for three decades and we hope to build on that solid record by winning the Marine One contract. I also want to point out that we could not be successful without the outstanding relationships we have enjoyed for more than 40 years with our elected officials and our community."

Governor Pataki said, "The State of New York is proud to be a member of the US101 team, and I am confident that team will be creating hundreds of jobs here in the Southern Tier and benefiting the entire Upstate New York economy. The President deserves to have the best helicopter in the world, and we want the next generation of 'Marine One' helicopters to come from Owego, New York."

The US101 helicopter will create up to 750 jobs at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego. In addition, the program will benefit suppliers in 37 New York counties. More than 200 suppliers in 41 states will provide critical components for the US101 helicopter.

Lockheed Martin's proposal for the presidential helicopter replacement program was submitted on February 2. An award announcement is expected in May.

"In order to maintain the delivery schedule set by our customer for the presidential helicopter, it is necessary for us to invest our own funds to begin construction activities now before contract award," Ramsey explained. Lockheed Martin has initiated the permitting process to ensure a fast track to construction of the new building; however construction is contingent on the Lockheed Martin team winning the Marine One contract or other US101 contracts.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin