Sikorsky to lay off 3 percent of workers

Spokesman Paul Jackson said the layoffs were being made because of “the tightening global
business environment and the expected U.S. Department of Defense budget
reductions. The company must adjust its overall cost structure
accordingly to remain competitive.”

{mosads}Defense contractors are bracing for massive cuts to the Pentagon budget, which are
already at $350 billion and could grow by another $600 billion from
sequestration. Defense hawks in Congress have vowed to reverse the automatic
cuts.

The White House last week announced it was sending
a dozen Sikorsky-made Blackhawk S-70i helicopters to Brunei in a $325
million sale.

Jackson said in an email that Sikorsky has just come off a period of growth and is
making cuts to adjust for “forecasted changes in our business environment.”

“We are hoping the voluntary separation offer will significantly soften the
impact,” he said.