Armed Aerial Scout 72X (AAS-72X) Arrives At AUSA
Convention
In anticipation of a competitive flight demonstration, EADS
North America’s Armed Aerial Scout 72X (AAS-72X) is on
display at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) convention this
week in Washington, DC. The AAS-72X, an armed derivative of the
Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter manufactured by
the company’s American Eurocopter business unit, has
completed the majority of its militarization requirements in a
company-funded development effort that began in 2009.
Armed Aerial Scout 72X
A highly capable helicopter for the Armed Aerial Scout mission,
the AAS-72X combines the safety of a twin-engine aircraft and the
high/hot operating performance necessary to meet the Army’s
demanding Armed Scout mission. Derived from the same family of
aircraft as the UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter, the AAS-72X
is a low-risk evolution of the U.S. Army’s newest rotary-wing
aircraft, which is widely considered one of the most successful
acquisition programs in the service’s history. The EADS North
America-led industry team of American Eurocopter and Lockheed
Martin (NYSE: LMT) has made a significant investment in the
development of three AAS- 72X Technical Demonstrator Aircraft
(TDA), which have been used to conduct parallel development and
risk reduction activities, and to demonstrate the armed
scout’s level of capability and technical maturity. The first
TDA Aircraft made its maiden flight in December 2010.
EADS North America also announced at AUSA that Rockwell Collins
(NYSE: COL) has joined the AAS-72X team and will be responsible for
the design, engineering and production of simulation and training
devices in support of U.S. Army operator and maintainer
requirements.
“We’re pleased to welcome Rockwell Collins to the
EADS North America Armed Scout team, the team that is offering the
most capable of any armed scout helicopter solution,” said
Sean O’Keefe, CEO of EADS North America. “We’re
ready to prove that fact through a competitive flight demonstration
to validate that we can meet the Army’s demanding armed scout
mission.”
Prior to the start of the TDA program, the company conducted
high/hot hover-out-ofground- effect, endurance and payload testing
in 2009 at Alamosa, Colo. utilizing a helicopter derived from the
UH-72A Lakota/EC145 platform family. In that test the helicopter
successfully operated at 6,000 feet and 95-degree density altitude.
The team also conducted a key transportability test when five
aircraft were successfully loaded in a C-17 transport aircraft.
Additionally, EADS North America and Lockheed Martin established a
System Integration Laboratory (SIL) and hangar in April 2010 at
Lockheed Martin’s Orlando, Fla. facility.
The AAS-72X demonstration aircraft is equipped with a Mission
Equipment Package (MEP) that includes a chin-mounted turret with
integrated targeting sensor, mannedunmanned teaming capability,
communications suite and weapons. All MEP items already are in the
Army inventory.
Production of the AAS-72X will take place at American
Eurocopter’s Columbus, Miss. helicopter center of excellence
where the UH-72A Lakota is currently manufactured for the U.S.
Army. EADS North America has delivered more than 190 UH-72A Lakotas
to the Army, all on time and within budget, along with five H-72A
versions to the U.S. Navy for test pilot training.