Nearly $11B Sikorsky deal positively impacts dozens of Connecticut companies

STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Lockheed Martin Sikorsky is now a week into its new contract to supply CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters to the U.S. Marine Corps, and the effects are already being felt all over the state of Connecticut.

Dozens of other companies will now be able to grow as a result.

The Marines just ordered almost $11 billion of CH-53K (53K) helicopters. They are huge, powerful, heavy-lift choppers, but each contains thousands of parts made by hundreds of smaller companies.

“Our parts are everywhere," Zach Pratt, CEO of Shelton-based Beta Shim, said. "We have well over 700 parts actively on the 53K."

Beta Shim uses advanced, computerized machines to turn blocks of raw material into aircraft parts perfect down to a hundred thousandth of an inch. Right now, it has 85 employees in