SPENDING BILL PROVIDES BIG BENEFIT TO SIKORSKY

Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford would get a substantial boost if Congress
approves a $9 billion supplemental spending bill that is now heading for the
House of Representatives.

The measure includes $400 million to build 30 Sikorsky Black Hawk
helicopters for use by the military and police forces of Colombia in the
brutal war against illegal drugs in that South American country.

We think the House Appropriations Committee in Congress took a bold step
last week in voting to send to the House floor the supplemental spending
bill.

The appropriation for the Black Hawks is significant because they have been
at the heart of a bruising lobbying battle between United Technologies,
Sikorsky's parent company, and Bell Helicopter Textron which makes the Huey
II helicopter which could also be deployed in Colombia.

Although Black Hawks are considerably more expensive than the Huey IIs
($12.8 million each compared to $1.8 million), most military and
intelligence experts rightfully contend that they are a superior helicopter.

Black Hawks can fly to higher altitudes, travel faster and possess more
range than the Huey IIs. Significantly, they can better withstand ground
fire, which is certain to occur when the Colombian military moves into its
nation's coca-growing regions (largely controlled by leftist revolutionary
forces) to dampen illicit drug growing and trafficking.

Purchase of the 30 Black Hawks makes further sense in this scenario because
the Colombian government has already purchased 25 Black Hawks and has
ordered 14 more, according to congressional leaders.

However, the supplemental spending bill may face almost as fierce a battle
in Congress as the Colombian military faces in battling drug lords and
leftist guerrillas.

Bell Helicopter Textron has its proponents in Congress, while many lawmakers
are wary of getting America overinvolved in Colombian internal politics,
even though such a large percentage of cocaine originates in Colombia.

On top of that, Senate committee leaders are balking at taking up the
supplemental spending bill quickly.

But, the House Appropriations Committee action is a sound first step. The
bill could be before the House this week.

We urge Connecticut's congressional delegation -- a few of whom have
philosophical reservations about the Colombian Black Hawk purchase and
others who have been irritated by UTC's handling of job reductions during
the past year -- to unite on this expenditure and use their influence to
help get the bill passed in the House and Senate.

The Black Hawk purchases will not only aid the state's economy but also, in
the long term, help Americans by reducing the flow of illicit drugs to this
nation.