Coatesville's Sikorsky Done Making Military Helicopters Come 2022

COATESVILLE, PA — Lockheed Martin has announced it will shutter its Coatesville area manufacturing facility in March 2022, a decision that will put hundreds out of their jobs but that the corporate defense contractor said was unavoidable.

As a U.S. Department of Defense contractor, Sikorsky's plants have produced the Marine One helicopter and other military and commercial helicopters, including the Black Hawk and the FireHawk, according to the company's website. The Sadsbury Township worksite has employed about 360 people, two-thirds of whom will lose their jobs, Aviation International News reported.

The decision was condemned by U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-6th) after her ongoing efforts to keep Sikorsky Helicopters operating.

Houlahan said upon receiving the news, "By now, many of you have heard the disappointing news regarding Sikorsky Helicopters in Coatesville. After spending the last two years working with Lockheed Martin, White House officials in two administrations, and state and local partners to find ways to enable the plant to continue operating, I am frustrated and disappointed that we find ourselves here."

Houlahan, a U.S. Air Force veteran who represents the area where the plant is situated, said after learning in June of 2019 of the decision by Lockheed to shutter the Coatesville facility due to declining demand in the helicopter market, she engaged the company's leadership to fight for the workforce and keep these jobs in Coatesville.

Some 240 employees will lose their jobs, CBSLocal reported.

The U.S. Representative also worked bipartisanly with other members of Congress and local elected officials — then-President Trump weighed in as well — to find a long-term solution. The decision to close was temporarily reversed.

Since then, Houlahan reported she has worked with Maryland-based Lockheed Martin to identify potential new work, passed legislation requiring the Defense Department to assess any national security risks associated with the possible closure of the facility, and engaged Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimundo, and White House Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese to find federal opportunities to match the skills of the employees.

Houlahan serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

"This is not the outcome we wanted but now my priority over the next seven months is helping these highly-skilled workers find new jobs in our community and finding a productive use for the facility that contributes to the tax base and the vibrancy of Coatesville," said Houlahan.

Houlahan is hosting a job fair at West Chester University on Oct. 12 with a focus on jobs for displaced Sikorsky workers. "Some of our region's best and brightest are working in Coatesville and I will do everything I can to keep them here," she said.

A statement from Lockheed Martin said the company "has made a final decision to exit its Coatesville facility and consolidate the work in other Lockheed Martin locations due to a downturn in the commercial helicopter sector."

Other Sikorsky locations remain active in production. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, Conn., was awarded a $116,512,253 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and overhaul of the Black Hawk main rotor blade, according to the Department of Defense website. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2026, the Defense Department webpage said.

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