Introducing The Armed Scout 645
A major topic of discussion at this year's 'Quad A' was the news
that EADS North America will be partnering with Lockheed Martin and
American Eurocopter to offer a new armed scout helicopter solution
to the Army, called the Armed Scout 645.
The Army Aviation Association of America’s 2009 Annual
Convention in Nashville, TN, served as an unveiling point for a
display of the full-scale helicopter that is based on the
Eurocopter EC145 commercial airframe that is the platform for the
Army’s UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). The Armed Scout
645 will be produced at American Eurocopter’s Columbus, MS,
facility where UH-72A Lakotas are currently manufactured.
“EADS North America is pleased to welcome Lockheed Martin
to our industry team. Lockheed Martin is a leader in defense and
brings extensive knowledge of rotary-wing system integration to the
Armed Scout 645 industry team,” said EADS North America Chief
Operating Officer David R. Oliver, Jr.
Lockheed Martin has a 25–year legacy in Army aviation
mission equipment components and subsystems integration, as well as
worldwide logistics support to the Armed Forces. This experience
includes Army attack helicopter programs, including the Modernized
Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor
(Arrowhead) system, LONGBOW Fire Control Radar, Video from UAS for
Interoperability Teaming – Level 2 (VUIT-2) and HELLFIRE
missiles.
The Armed Scout 645 will provide twin-engine performance and
survivability, particularly in the demanding high/hot operating
environments called for by today’s Army requirements.
“Today’s warfighters need the most capable aircraft
that ensures success the first time, every time. EADS North America
is committed to leading an industry team that will meet the armed
scout mission requirements for our warfighters,” added
Oliver.
The partnership claims that the Armed Scout 645’s modern
design and modular weapons systems architecture ensures low
lifecycle costs, maintainability and maximum operational
reliability, resulting in high operational readiness rates to meet
changing Army mission requirements over time. Its small footprint
allows transportation by C-17 aircraft with minimum reconfiguration
upon arrival in the operating area. The helicopter’s large,
unobstructed main cabin is easily reconfigurable for maximum
mission flexibility.
EADS North America has delivered 67 UH-72A Lakotas to the Army
and Army National Guard since November 2006, with all aircraft
reportedly supplied on or ahead of schedule and within budget. The
UH-72A fleet in Army service has passed the 10,000 flight-hour
milestone. To date, 128 Lakotas have been ordered by the Army, with
plans to acquire a total of 345 UH-72As by 2016.
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