US Army Orders 35 UH-72A Lakota Helicopters For $273 Million

Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a $273 million worth contract for procurement of 35 UH-72A Lakotas, a light utility helicopter, for the US Army, the Department of Defense announced Thursday.

The Lakota platform is a versatile and highly capable twin-engine aircraft with a modern digital glass cockpit, flight controls and navigation systems. Army and Army National Guard units operate the Lakota in a variety of missions including flight training, surveillance and reconnaissance, medical evacuations, border security, VIP transport and disaster response.  

As per the statement, the helicopters will be assembled at the Airbus Helicopters Inc. facility in Columbus, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of March 8, 2021.

The DOD further said that Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $136,644,970 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.