Sikorsky sees good prospects in market

PARIS - Reuters

A Sikorsky helicopter used by Turkish special operations police forces is seen in this file photo. The company says Turkey might order new military helicopters.

International orders are set to eclipse U.S. military purchases of Sikorsky Aircraft helicopters in four or five years, the company’s president told Reuters ahead of the Paris Air Show.

Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies, sees bright prospects overall for the global helicopter market, given strong international and commercial demand, as well as Washington’s continued commitment to new U.S. military rotorcraft programs, including a new presidential helicopter.

“The big theme this is year is the international military side,” Sikorsky President Mick Maurer told Reuters in an interview in Paris. “It looks pretty good.”

He cited potential military helicopter orders from India, Turkey and several Asian countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei and Australia, as well as Colombia and a few other South American countries.

Maurer said it was possible Poland would announce a contract winner in the first half of 2014.

Maurer said international sales of military helicopters would account for more than 50 percent of the company’s revenues at some point in the coming four or five years, given strong demand for Sikorsky’s helicopters.

Sikorsky is set to announce several new orders this week, including a contract with China’s CITIC Offshore Helicopter Co (COHC) for two S-92 helicopters.

Sikorsky hopes the deal can break the stranglehold its big rival, Eurocopter, has on the lucrative and rapidly growing Chinese market for helicopters to be used in the offshore oil and gas business.