Sat, Aug 27, 2011
Militarized Version Of The EC145 Takes On Multiple Roles
More than hlaf of a planned 345 UH-72A Lakota Light Utility
Helicopters have been delivered to the U.S. Army, according to a
news release Tuesday from EADS North America. "Reaching the midway
point in deliveries to the Army with an unblemished record of
on-time deliveries is an excellent example of our strong
performance on the Lakota program,” said EADS North American
CEO Sean O’Keefe. “This program clearly demonstrates
the company’s ability to successfully execute large programs,
in-source manufacturing to the U.S. and create high-value American
jobs, while simultaneously delivering on our on-time and on-cost
commitment to our Army and Navy customers.”
The UH-72A is based on the EC145 multi-role helicopter and
was developed by EADS’ Eurocopter division. The
company’s American Eurocopter business unit created a
dedicated assembly line for UH-72As in Mississippi, and
successfully completed the in-sourcing of its full production
activity from Germany in 2010 – with sustained output
reaching 53 rotary-wing aircraft annually at the state-of-the-art
facility.
Overall there have been 180 aircraft delivered to the DoD. The
steady production and delivery represents the rapid success in
establishing a world-class production facility, recruiting and
training the technical professionals who build the aircraft and the
suppliers in the U.S. and overseas. UH-72A Lakota helicopters are
operating from 31 basing locations in the continental U.S., Puerto
Rico, Germany and the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll
following the establishment of 10 new fielding sites in 2010. The
U.S. Army has ordered 219 UH-72As to date, with the total
acquisition of 345 helicopters sustaining production through 2015.
Five LUH aircraft are used by the Navy Test Pilot School for their
rotary wing test pilot training.
The U.S. Army is using its Lakotas in multiple configurations
for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions, search and rescue
operations, border patrols along the U.S./Mexico border, VIP
transport, general aviation support and in combat flight training
at the service’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC)
in Hohenfels, Germany, the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC)
at Ft. Polk, La., and soon at the National Training Center, Ft.
Irwin, Calif. EADS North America and American Eurocopter engineers
continue to integrate additional mission equipment packages (MEPs)
on the UH-72A, achieving FAA certification for the Combat Training
Center (CTC) MEP in 2010. Efforts continue on additional MEP
integration, for a comprehensive package for the Army National
Guard’s Security and Support (S&S) Battalion
missions.
The training and logistics for the LUH program is also on track.
Pilots and maintenance professionals of U.S. Army have completed
more than 575 pilot and 375 maintenance personnel completing their
classes at American Eurocopter’s headquarters facility in
Grand Prairie, Texas. The LUH fleet has accumulated more than
67,500 hours to date.
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