JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Navy plans to move maintenance operations for the Marine One presidential helicopter fleet from Connecticut to Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
A recently closed job posting for the Fleet Readiness Center at NAS Jacksonville sought an aircraft electrician who could qualify for Top Secret Security clearance.
The Marine One helicopters are currently maintained at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut.
According to a report from Military.com, the all-Democratic Connecticut congressional delegation recently sent a letter to the Secretary of the Navy urging him to hold off on relocating the fleet, which has been maintained by about 85 workers in Stratford for the last 40 years.
Military.com's report said Sikorsky was acquired by Maryland-based Lockheed Martin in 2015, and negotiations for the Marine One contract between the Navy and Lockheed Martin recently fell through.