EUROCOPTER UH-72A "LAKOTA"

The UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is a commercial aircraft designed to conduct light general support tasks in permissive, non-combat environments. Those tasks include civil search and rescue, personnel recovery, evacuation, counter-drug and limited civil command and control operations in the conduct of Homeland Security. The fielding of the LUH is part of an ongoing Army-level effort to transform its aviation capability through the deliberate reinvestment of funds from the canceled 2004 Comanche program. The Army National Guard will receive the majority of the 322 new aircraft. Initial aircraft will be sent to the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. for medical evacuation missions in January 2007. The UH-72A Lakotas will replace UH-60 Black Hawks, which will be transferred to the National Guard for operational missions.

On June 30, 2006 the U.S. Army awarded a contract for the production and contractor logistics support of the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) to EADS North American Defense of Arlington, VA. The LUH is a Commercial/Non-Developmental Item aircraft to conduct light general support, civil search and rescue, personnel recovery, air ambulance Medical Evacuation, Casualty Evacuation, limited civil command and control operations in the conduct of Homeland Security, and counter-drug operations. The LUH is intended to perform these functions only in permissive, non-combat operational environments. The primary users for the LUH are the Active Army Table of Distribution and Allowances units and the Army National Guard.The Army intends to procure and field a total of 322 Light Utility Helicopters. This is a commercial/NDI aircraft and was solicited on a full and open competition basis. There were 5 initial offers received. The contract base year plus options will cover 10 program years. Total amount obligated at award was approximately $43M; total estimated value of the contract, including options, is $2.3B.

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