East Hartford, CT — Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz joined virtually with representatives from Sikorsky to present the company with the 2020 Connecticut Medal of Technology at the 46th Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) Annual Meeting. The medal was awarded for Sikorsky’s X2 Technology™, a generational leap in rotary-wing innovation that enables helicopters to complete tasks traditional helicopters can’t do today. X2 Technology consists of an integrated package of technologies that make X2 aircraft faster, more agile, and more maneuverable than other helicopters.
Participants joining the Lt. Governor in the presentation included Mike Ambrose, Vice President of Engineering and Technology at Sikorsky, and Francis Preli, Vice President, Propulsion & Materials Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, as an immediate past recipient of the medal.
Sikorsky has been a leader in aviation and innovation ever since Igor Sikorsky founded Sikorsky Aero Engineering Corporation in 1923. Sikorsky helicopters have transported every U.S. president since 1957 and have also fulfilled aviation needs across all branches of the military. In 2004, engineers started work on X2 Technology to overcome the speed and stability limitations of prior helicopters. In 2010, Sikorsky’s X2 Technology Demonstrator reached speeds of 250 knots. Before its final flight, the program was honored with a prestigious Collier Award, which recognizes the greatest achievements in aeronautics or astronautics in America. The X2 Technology Demonstrator is now part of the collection at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
The company’s work then shifted to address the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift needs. Sikorsky’s newest designs, RAIDER X® and the Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT X™ are based on X2 Technology and will contend for the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program and the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, respectively. The evolution of X2 Technology through each phase of design and flight test has proven the scalability of this game-changing technology. Sikorsky has invested in – and proven – X2 Technology to illustrate its commitment to developing future capabilities that are achievable and affordable – for both military and commercial organizations.
Sikorsky’s engineering and manufacturing expertise is a significant economic force in the state, with currently 8,400 CT-based employees. X2 Technology will directly benefit the state’s economy.
“Connecticut is proud to award the 2020 Connecticut Medal of Technology to Sikorsky,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “Connecticut is home to the nation’s most innovative and talented aerospace and defense manufacturers and suppliers— and companies like Sikorsky keep us competitive by continuously providing exciting new opportunities for top engineering and science graduates from our state’s colleges and universities. Sikorsky is to be congratulated for their ongoing innovations and commitment to the state of Connecticut and our workforce.”
“Ten years ago we set out to build on Sikorsky’s legacy and design a helicopter that would fly at twice the speeds of a traditional rotorcraft,” said Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky President. “Our bright and innovative engineers accomplished that goal with X2 Technology™. I recently witnessed the proven speed and maneuverability of X2 Technology during an S-97 RAIDER® flight demonstration at Redstone Arsenal, and I’m proud of our team’s continued advancements in vertical flight.”
The Connecticut Medal of Technology is awarded to individuals, teams, and companies/non-profits or divisions of companies/non-profits for their outstanding contributions to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of Connecticut and the nation through the promotion of technology, technological innovation, or the development of the technological workforce. By highlighting the importance of technological innovation, the Medal also seeks to inspire future generations to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep Connecticut and the nation at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership. Modeled after the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, this award is bestowed by the state of Connecticut, with the assistance of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, in alternate years with the Connecticut Medal of Science. Visit the CASE Medals Page to see a list of past awardees.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services.
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