Team US101 has announced that 16 companies in Florida will supply components to the American-built US101 medium-lift helicopter. Team US101 is competing to provide the President of the United States with a fleet of next-generation helicopters better known by the call sign "Marine One."

"From all along the Atlantic Coast across to Tampa Bay, these Florida suppliers will help make the US101 helicopter as American as the workers who build it," said Stephen D. Ramsey, Lockheed Martin's US101 vice president and general manager.

Previously, Team US101 announced that Kaman Aerospace in Jacksonville also is supporting the US101 program.

"And as an excellent example of Lockheed Martin's corporate commitment to the US101 program, two of our Florida-based operating companies - Aerostructures, and the Simulation, Training & Support business unit - are also supporting Team US101's efforts to win the Marine One competition," Ramsey said. "Winning the Presidential Helicopter Replacement program is a top priority for Lockheed Martin Corporation."

The 16 Florida-based companies that will supply components for the US101 helicopter are:

    AAR                                               Clearwater
    Crestview Aerospace                               Crestview
    Dayton Granger                                    Fort Lauderdale
    Future Metals, Inc.                               Tamarac
    Harris Corporation                                Melbourne
    Hetra Solutions                                   Palm Bay
    K-Lite Product Services, Inc.                     Melbourne
    Lockheed Martin Aerostructures                    Pinellas Park
    Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support    Orlando
    Pall Aeropower Corporation                        Clearwater
    Shaw Aero Devices, Inc.                           Naples
    Sparton Electronics                               Brooksville
    Symetrics Industries                              Melbourne
    Tensolite                                         St. Augustine
    Texas Instruments                                 Fort Lauderdale
    Unison Industries                                 Jacksonville

Team US101 is recognizing these suppliers at this time for their continuous support during the very rigorous Presidential Helicopter Replacement (or VXX) competition. Meanwhile, Team US101 continues to conduct risk reduction efforts prior to the U.S. Navy's VXX award announcement, which is expected in December.

These 16 Florida-based suppliers are among the more than 200 companies in 41 states chosen to support Team US101 with key products and services necessary for the President's new Marine One helicopter fleet. Other leading American companies on Team US101 include General Electric, ITT, Northrop Grumman and Palomar Products. During the course of the helicopter fleet's operational service life, 90 percent of the total life cycle costs will flow to Team US101's American suppliers, creating and sustaining thousands of jobs nationwide while building these new Marine One helicopters.

Team US101 is led by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego, which serves as the prime contractor and systems integrator for the American-built US101 aircraft, an American variant of AgustaWestland's successful EH101 multimission helicopter. The US101 team collectively brings unmatched rotorcraft expertise and experience to this program: Lockheed Martin (prime contractor and systems integration), AgustaWestland (aircraft design) and Bell Helicopter (aircraft production), while General Electric will supply each helicopter with three, 2,500 shaft-horsepower CT7-8E engines.

For additional information visit: http://www.teamus101.com/

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego