Sikorsky Aircraft and Terma today announced they have extended and broadened their previously announced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore additional potential collaborations on aircraft programs. Both the original MOU, signed in February 2010, and the new MOU are conditioned on the Danish government's decision to procure Sikorsky MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopters via a Foreign Military Sale with the U.S. Government, which is currently under consideration.

Such a collaboration would bring together two of the world's leading aerospace companies. Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of helicopters. Terma A/S is a leading defense, aerospace and security company in Denmark with subsidiaries in the U.S., the Netherlands, Singapore and Germany.

"Both of our companies are customer and innovation focused, which creates a solid foundation for collaboration," said Sikorsky Vice President Robert Kokorda. "The MH-60R helicopter has proven to be a strong and reliable asset for the U.S. Navy, which currently operates more than 100 of an expected 300 aircraft purchase."

The multi-mission MH-60R helicopter combines sensors, such as surface radar and forward looking infrared camera, with tactical data links that enable the host ship to see what the aircraft sees even when over the horizon. Long-range sight gives the ship commander a clear advantage while tasked with protecting commercial shipping routes, ensuring maritime sovereignty, and conducting search and rescue operations. Routinely also used for ship-to-ship cargo replenishment and medical evacuation, the aircraft can be upgraded to provide anti-submarine warfare if one day required by Danish Defense.

"Other opportunities where we see strong potential for collaboration include composites and electrical component manufacturing, as well as the use of Terma's survivability equipment on a number of our aircraft platforms, including BLACK HAWK helicopters," Kokorda added.

"We look forward to combining Sikorsky's and our core capabilities and to investigating a shared number of business opportunities in the international market," said Jørn Henrik Levy Rasmussen, Vice President, Terma Global. "We see a significant match between Sikorsky Aircraft as a helicopter manufacturer and Terma as a niche-oriented high-tech company with a very focused international strategy."