Team US101 has announced that 24 companies in five New England states 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."

"Throughout New England, these companies will make the US101 as American as the workers who build it," said Stephen D. Ramsey, Lockheed Martin's US101 vice president and general manager. "Powered by three General Electric engines made in Lynn, Massachusetts, each US101 helicopter will have more power and a greater safety margin than what our competition is offering the president."

Previously, Team US101 announced that 13 Connecticut-based companies are also supporting the US101 program.

"We're very proud of the technical know-how and engineering prowess that have gone into almost five decades of manufacturing U.S. military jet engine components here in Massachusetts," said George Psyhojos, president of Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc. "We take great pride in the role we are playing in making Marine One as safe as possible for our country's Commander-in-Chief."

The 24 New England-based companies that will supply components for the US101 helicopter are:

   Ametek Aerospace Products                    Wilmington, MA
   ARC Technologies, Inc.                       Amesbury, MA
   Atlantic Microwave Corporation               Bolton, MA
   B & E Tool Company, Inc.                     Southwick, MA
   Berkshire Industries, Inc.                   Westfield, MA
   Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc.        Newburyport, MA
   Bomco, Inc.                                  Gloucester, MA
   Continental Microwave                        Exeter, NH
   Emerson & Cuming Microwave Products, Inc.    Randolph, MA
   FLIR Systems                                 North Billerica, MA
   GE Aircraft Engines                          Lynn, MA
   Handles Unlimited                            Warwick, RI
   Hansen Aerospace Lab, Inc.                   Danvers, MA
   Harbour Industries, Inc.                     Shelburne, VT
   Jet Industries                               Agawam, MA
   Lighthouse Mfg., Inc.                        Peabody, MA
   Luminescent Systems, Inc.                    Lebanon, NH
   M/A-COM                                      Burlington, MA
   Parker Aerospace                             Devens, MA
   Screw-Matic Corporation                      Ipswich, MA
   SMART Modular Technologies                   Wilmington, MA
   Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corp.        Bristol, RI
   Vermont Aerospace Mfg.                       Lyndonville, VT
   Vishay Sprague                               Sanford, ME

Team US101 is recognizing these suppliers at this time for their continuous support during the very rigorous Presidential Helicopter Replacement (or VXX) competition. The U.S. Navy announced last month that the VXX contract will be awarded by the end of January 2005.

These 24 New England-based suppliers are among the more than 200 suppliers 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 ITT, Northrop Grumman, Kaman Aerospace 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 CT7-8E engines.

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

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin