Sikorsky, a unit of Lockheed plans to lay off as many as 400 employees in Connecticut due to the Army's decision to cancel a new armed scout helicopter program. The technological leap in cheaper non-piloted drone technology has made them better suited for reconnaissance missions than a piloted scout helicopter. Most of these employees are located in Stratford, CT and many are highly skilled non-unionized engineering and digital technology employees.
CT struggles with highly skilled job creation. Sikorsky had already eliminated 179 jobs in October 2023 due to programs in production needing less development support. Of the few remaining CT-based military manufacturers, General Dynamics Electric Boat and Pratt & Whitney claim to be adding some engineers. The unemployment rate in CT is currently 4.5%, up from a low of 3.3% one year ago.
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