RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - 

LifePort, Inc. today announced it has contracted with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Special Operations to equip its fleet of Sikorsky HH-60G PAVE HAWK™ helicopters with the company’s Improved Ballistic Armor Sub System (iBASS). Culminating five years of product development and collaboration with the USAF, deliveries of the iBASS systems are scheduled to commence this month. A Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) company, LifePort is recognized as an industry leader in mission equipment. SAS is the aftermarket business of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX)

The announcement was made during the LAAD Defence and Security International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro.

“LifePort was selected based on our reputation for quality engineering, design and performance history. We have the resources to produce qualified armored flight seat pallets based on strict USAF specifications, and we are the only company in the marketplace today able to provide this capability,” said Dwayne Starnes, LifePort’s Director of Operations. “By the end of September 2013, the U.S. Air Force’s HH-60G fleet will be equipped with ballistic armor seat pallets that will greatly enhance crew safety.”

In service with the U.S. Air Force, the PAVE HAWK aircraft is a derivative of Sikorsky’s UH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter. Its primary mission is the transport and recovery of special operations personnel. The aircraft’s mission versatility includes peacetime operations such as civil search and rescue, emergency medical evacuation, disaster relief, international aid and interdiction activities.

LifePort, Inc., is a leader in the design and manufacture of mission equipment, specializing in air medical systems, lightweight armour, interior components and galley equipment for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. Its Sikorsky Aerospace Services business designs and applies advanced logistics and supply chain solutions for commercial rotary, military rotary and fixed-wing operators. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide.