Supply Base Selection Begins for International BLACK HAWK(TM) Helicopter; Deliveries to Start in 2011

SANTIAGO, Chile, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FIDAE AIR SHOW -- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has begun establishing the supply chain for the S-70i International BLACK HAWK(TM) Helicopter program, and is developing plans for the aircraft's final assembly and hangar operations at the company's PZL Mielec facility. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. .

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Sikorsky is currently evaluating several companies from various countries to take part in the project. The company expects to receive approval of the manufacturing license in late 2008.

The S-70i International BLACK HAWK Helicopter will be produced with global partners and delivered from outside the United States. It will provide multi- mission, 10-ton utility lift capability at a price comparable to helicopters in the 6-to-8 ton class.

"Sikorsky Aircraft has been diligently developing this program since we first announced it in 2006 and we are beginning to see initial milestones on the horizon that clearly signify the International BLACK HAWK Helicopter is becoming a reality," said Sikorsky President Jeffrey P. Pino. "From the beginning, we considered this program to be a key component of our long-range strategic objective to globalize operations and expand our supply base with qualified, cost-competitive manufacturers and service providers from across the world. Today, we can say that a BLACK HAWK helicopter for the international market is a viable, real program."

The S-70i International BLACK HAWK Helicopter will be designed with a modular platform that can be configured to meet specific customer requirements. Common elements will include a digital cockpit with four-axis advanced flight control systems, coupled flight director, active vibration controls, and dual pilot IFR. "This platform will accommodate customer demand with an affordable, capable, and adaptable aircraft," Pino said.

The first BLACK HAWK helicopter cabins are currently being built at PZL Mielec and are scheduled to be delivered in late 2008. Deliveries of the S-70i BLACK HAWK helicopters are expected to begin in 2011.

BLACK HAWK helicopter derivatives today are serving 26 governments around the world in a diverse range of missions, from combat assault and peacekeeping to disaster relief and medical evacuation.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., USA, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. The company's mission statement reflects its long commitment to safety and innovation: "We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere ... every time(TM)." United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., USA, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.