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UH-72 Lakota Light Helicopter Lands Airbus in US Defense Market

Jul 27, 2020 04:58 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff

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AW119 Koala

July 27/20: Production AHI, Grand Prairie won a $74 million contract modification for 15 UH-72 D-2 production aircraft and options to procure three additional D-2 production aircraft, 18 jettisonable cockpit doors, 14 engine inlet barrier filters and 14 environmental control units. The UH-72A Lakota is the US Army’s multi-mission helicopter. Selected in June 2006 following a rigorous evaluation, it combines operational capability, reliability and affordability, fulfilling all of the Army’s requirements for speed, range, endurance and overall performance. Work will take place in Grand Prairie, Texas. Estimated completion date is August 31, 2022.

The above update is a recent abstract from our full article, itself part of our subscription offering. Keep reading to know more.

UH-72As: MEDEVAC
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This is DID’s FOCUS Article regarding the US Army’s Light Utility Helicopter program, covering the program and its objectives, the winning bid team and industrial arrangements, and contracts.

The US Army’s LUH program will finish as a 325 helicopter acquisition program that will be worth about $2.3 billion when all is said and done. It aimed to replace existing UH-1 Hueys and OH-58 Kiowa utility variants in non-combat roles, freeing up larger and more expensive UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for front-line duty. In June 2006, a variant of Eurocopter’s EC145 beat AgustaWestland’s AB139, Bell-Textron’s 412EP Twin Huey, and MD Helicopters’ 902 Explorer NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) design. The win marked EADS’ 1st serious military win in the American market, and their “UH-145” became the “UH-72A Lakota” at an official December 2006 naming ceremony.

Eurocopter has continued to field new mission kits and deliver helicopters from its Mississippi production line, while trying to build on their LUH breakthrough. A training helicopter win will keep the line going for a couple more years…