FARNBOROUGH, England, July 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sikorsky recognized Bristow Helicopters Limited and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency today at the 2016 Farnborough Air Show for excellence in lifesaving achievement with the S-92^® helicopter. Bristow Helicopters Limited is an affiliate of Bristow Group Inc. Sikorsky is a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT).

Bristow Helicopters currently operates 14 S-92 helicopters on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency for the critical mission of search and rescue (SAR), following the award of the 10-year UK SAR contract by the Department for Transport in March 2013. In the first year of UK SAR operations, beginning April 1, 2015, Bristow successfully completed 1,149 missions utilizing S-92 helicopters.

"We are proud to be a part of this successful collaboration and are honored to serve on behalf of Her Majesty's Coastguard," said Bristow Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Baliff. "The speed, capacity and operational range of the SAR S-92, combined with the civilian and former military personnel we employ as part of UK SAR, create a best-of-all-worlds solution that is the backbone of our life-saving efforts."

"Igor Sikorsky envisioned the helicopter as a lifesaving tool," said Sikorsky Vice President for Strategy & Business Development Nathalie Previte. "In the year of the S-92 fleet's millionth flight hour, we are thrilled to recognize a customer who flies and excels at the critical mission of search and rescue."

Search and rescue S-92 aircraft perform at an average air speed of 145 knots (166 mph) and have the endurance to perform for more than four hours without refueling. They are outfitted with state-of-the-art technology including:

• High definition forward looking infra-red (FLIR) and thermal image camera technology
• Night vision goggle (NVG) technology including glass cockpit
• Icing protection system
• Twin hoist
• Comprehensive medical suite

Sikorsky, a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service, has delivered more than 275 S-92 helicopters worldwide.  The global fleet recently surpassed one million flight hours. In addition to search and rescue, S-92 helicopters perform missions including offshore oil and gas personnel, head of state, utility and airline passenger transportation.

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/s-92-helicopter.html

About Lockheed Martin  
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

About Bristow Helicopters   
Bristow Helicopters Limited is an affiliate of Bristow Group, the leading provider of industrial aviation services offering exceptional transportation, search and rescue (SAR) and aircraft support services, including helicopter maintenance and training, to government and civil organizations worldwide. With headquarters in Houston, Texas, Bristow has major operations in the North Sea, Nigeria, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Trinidad. Bristow provides SAR services to the private sector in Australia, Canada, Guyana, Norway, Russia and Trinidad, and to the public sector for all of the UK on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. For more information on the company, visit www.bristowgroup.com.

About HM Coastguard   
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is a frontline delivery and emergency response organisation which is part of the Department for Transport.

Part of the MCA is HM Coastguard, which provides a UK-wide maritime emergency prevention and response capability which responds to calls for help by radio, satellite or the 999 service and coordinates maritime search and rescue (SAR) within the UK SAR region. The agency helps approximately 25,000 people each year with 21,000 incidents coordinated by its rescue centres.

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Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141118/159313LOGO

SOURCE Lockheed Martin