400+ employees at Sikorsky’s Military Completions Center in Horseheads were told thjis week of big cuts in its workforce.  This is apparently primarily due to “flattening military aircraft orders”.  The company is offering to relocate some workers to another commercial helicopter operations site in Pennsylvania.

The company released the following statement – “”The Sikorsky Military Completions Center (SMCC) in Horseheads, New York, announced today a workforce reduction largely as a result of flattening military aircraft orders and, to a lesser extent, the previously announced relocation of Light Helicopter assembly to join with all of Sikorsky’s other commercial helicopter production, which is headquartered in Pennsylvania. This reduction is necessitated by Sikorsky’s need to remain competitive. Although the reduction is significant, there will still be close to twice as many people employed at SMCC than prior to Sikorsky’s ownership.  The SMCC remains an important part of Sikorsky’s military business, and Sikorsky will continue to invest in making it world-class in line with the plans announced last July to establish an International Military Completions Center of Excellence. That project remains on track.”

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com