Offers UH-145 for Army's Light Utility Helicopter Mission; American Eurocopter to Partner on the LUH Team

EADS North America and its American Eurocopter business unit tell ANN that they will offer the UH-145 advanced rotary-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) mission. EADS North America will lead the capture effort and act as the prime contractor for the UH-145 team.

EADS-NA claims that the twin-engine UH-145 is a "best value" solution for the Army, providing a U.S.-built helicopter that meets or exceeds all speed, range, endurance and performance requirements. The UH-145 is a version of the highly successful EC145 helicopter, which has been in production since 2002 for law enforcement, paramilitary and security agencies, emergency medical service providers, offshore operators and corporations in America and around the world.

"EADS North America is proud to offer the UH-145 to meet the modernization needs of the US Army. Our UH-145 team combines the No. 1 helicopter in its class, American Eurocopter's extensive rotary-wing market experience and the resources of EADS North America as prime contractor," said Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., the Chairman and CEO of EADS North America. "We are uniquely positioned to meet the operational and long term support requirements of this key Army aviation program. The UH-145 will offer the Army a modern platform that combines advanced rotary-wing technology and proven commercial capability, and which outperforms other existing or remanufactured solutions."

Production of the UH-145 will be performed in the U.S. by American Eurocopter, which has been building and supporting helicopters in the US for more than 30 years. The company has production and assembly sites in Columbus, Mississippi and Grand Prairie, Texas.

American Eurocopter is a U.S. helicopter market leader, with a large customer base in the Homeland Security, para-public and law enforcement sectors. Its helicopters are operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency in the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and police departments, sheriff's offices and other security agencies from coast-to-coast.

The U.S. Army is planning to acquire over 300 LUH platforms to replace aging UH-1 and OH-58 aircraft. The LUH will perform a wide range of light utility missions in the United States, including medical evacuation, passenger and logistics transportation, as well as Homeland Security operations. The Army National Guard is expected to receive the majority of these replacement aircraft.

The UH-145 provides an optimized mix of new and proven technologies for sustained superior mission performance, excellent operational availability and low operating costs. Safety features include its twin-engine design, redundant hydraulic and electrical systems, and high-set main and tail rotors that allow loading/unloading through the main doors and rear-fuselage clamshell doors even while the rotors are turning.

The helicopter is outfitted with an advanced avionics suite that includes a glass cockpit for flight and navigation instrument display. It already is FAA Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) certified - a requirement in the Army's commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) acquisition strategy for LUH. The UH-145's large open cabin provides maximum flexibility with seating configurations for up to nine passengers, or two stretchers for MEDEVAC missions.

FMI: www.eads-na.com, www.eurocopterusa.com, www.uh-145.com