UH-72A
Encyclopedia
The UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine helicopter with a single, four-bladed main rotor. The UH-72 is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145
and is built by American Eurocopter
division of EADS
North America. Initially marketed as the UH-145, the helicopter was selected as the winner of the United States Army
's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program on 30 June 2006. In October 2006, American Eurocopter was awarded a production contract for 345 aircraft to replace aging UH-1H/V
and OH-58A/C
helicopters in the Army and Army National Guard
fleets.
. As the program was developed, the light utility version was dropped and focus was placed on the light attack reconnaissance version, which eventually became the RAH-66 Comanche
.
In 2004, the Department of Defense
and the US Army made the decision to terminate the RAH-66 program. As part of the termination, the Army was allowed to keep the future years' funding programmed for the Comanche. To replace the capability that the Comanche was supposed to offer, the Army planned several programs, including three new aircraft. The Army Staff decided that these three aircraft, the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and the Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA) (later renamed Joint Cargo Aircraft, or JCA), were to be existing, in-production commercial aircraft modified for Army service.
, MD Explorer
and AW139
. EADS North America
(EADS NA) marketed the UH-145 variant of the EC 145 for the program.
On 30 June 2006, the Army announced that the EADS NA entry had won the competition for the LUH contract, the value for which was estimated as being worth over $3 billion. In August, the UH-145 airframe was officially designated the UH-72A by the Department of Defense. The UH-145 award was confirmed in October 2006 following protests from losing bidders.
Despite the impact of the four-month delay associated with the protests, EADS NA was still able to deliver the first UH-72 on time during a ceremony in December, at which time the name Lakota was also formally announced for the type, in line with the Army's long-standing tradition of giving its helicopters Native American names. The LUH marked EADS NA's largest DoD contract to date, and added to existing programs including the U.S. Coast Guard's
HH-65 Dolphin
and HC-144A
and various other defense and security systems contracts.
The Lakota received full rate production (FRP) approval on 23 August 2007. This will allow the Army to buy the full quantity of aircraft, planned at 345 through 2017 as of June 2008. The UH-72A is being produced at American Eurocopter's
facility in Columbus, Mississippi
. Production was transitioning from local assembly of aircraft kits received from Eurocopter Deutschland
to full local production, which was slated to begin in March 2009. In December 2009, the Army ordered 45 more UH-72As to increase the order total to 178. The 100th Lakota was delivered in March 2010 from EADS NA to the US Army. By late August 2011, 180 had been delivered.
) to personnel recovery and counter-narcotics operations. They are planned to replace the UH-1 and OH-58A/C, which are older light utility helicopters, and supplant other types in domestic use, primarily those in Army National Guard
service.
The UH-72 is being procured as a commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) product, which simplifies logistics support of the fleet. EADS NA has teamed with Sikorsky
to provide Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for the UH-72, through its Helicopter Support, Inc. (HSI)/Sikorsky Aerospace Maintenance. (SAM) subsidiaries.
The first aircraft was delivered to the United States Army on 11 December 2006 in Columbus
, Mississippi
. On 12 December 2006, General Richard A. Cody
, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and Joe Red Cloud, a chief of the Oglala
Sioux Tribe, Lakota nation, accepted the first UH-72A in an official ceremony. The Army estimated that delivery of the planned 345 aircraft would continue until 2017.
The first production helicopters were sent to the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin
, California for medical evacuation missions in January 2007. On 20 June 2007, the NTC's United States Army Air Ambulance Detachment (USAAAD) became the first operational unit to field the Lakota. On 10 July 2007, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Flight Detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia became the second Army unit fielded with the UH-72A.
A report published in August 2007, by the Operational Test and Evaluation Directorate (DOT&E) noted that, although the Lakota "is effective in the performance of light utility missions" it was prone to overheating during operations in the desert conditions of Fort Irwin, when not equipped with air conditioning systems. In response, vents were added in the doors to increase cabin air flow; air conditioning has been installed on some Medical and VIP versions also added air conditioning units for crew comfort.
The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) located at Fort Polk
, Louisiana
received their first aircraft on 7 September 2007. On 16 January 2009, the United States Military Academy
received two UH-72As, replacing two UH-1H helicopters for VIP transport to and from the academy. The helicopters also support the cadet parachute team and cadet training missions. The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
received the first of five UH-72As in September 2009. The UH-72A replaced the TH-6B Cayuse as the prime training aircraft for the test pilot school's helicopter curriculum.
By March 2010, the Lakota entered service in Puerto Rico
, Kwajalein Atoll, and the U.S. Army’s missile test range in Germany
. On 20 December 2010, a UH-72A assigned to the Puerto Rico National Guard
became the first UH-72A to experience a fatal accident. The aircraft crashed at sea off the coast of Puerto Rico, and all six personnel aboard were killed.
Armed Scout 645 (EC645): A proposed armed version of the UH-72 for the US Army's OH-58D replacement program being offered by EADS and Lockheed Martin
. The companies announced a teaming agreement for the Armed Scout 645 on 4 May 2009. Three flight demonstrator aircraft named AAS-72X will be built in 2010. They are expected to begin flight testing in late 2010.
Eurocopter EC145
|-See also:-External links:* * * * * *...
and is built by American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter is a subsidiary of EADS North America, the United States subsidiary of EADS. American Eurocopter manufactures and markets a broad range of civil helicopters, and as of 2005 had almost a 50% share of the American market...
division of EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
North America. Initially marketed as the UH-145, the helicopter was selected as the winner of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program on 30 June 2006. In October 2006, American Eurocopter was awarded a production contract for 345 aircraft to replace aging UH-1H/V
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
and OH-58A/C
OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine, single-rotor, military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. Bell Helicopter manufactured the OH-58 for the United States Army based on the 206A JetRanger helicopter. The OH-58 has been in continuous use by the U.S...
helicopters in the Army and Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
fleets.
Background
The US Army's LHX program began in the early 1980s, proposing two helicopter designs with a high percentage of commonality of dynamic components. One was a light utility version ("LHX-U") for assault and tactical movement of troops and supplies, the other was a light scout/attack version ("LHX-SCAT") to complement the growing development of the AH-64 ApacheAH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
. As the program was developed, the light utility version was dropped and focus was placed on the light attack reconnaissance version, which eventually became the RAH-66 Comanche
RAH-66 Comanche
The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was an advanced five-blade armed reconnaissance and attack helicopter designed for the United States Army. The RAH-66 program was canceled in 2004, before mass production began, after nearly $7 billion was spent on the program.During the early 1980s, the U.S...
.
In 2004, the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and the US Army made the decision to terminate the RAH-66 program. As part of the termination, the Army was allowed to keep the future years' funding programmed for the Comanche. To replace the capability that the Comanche was supposed to offer, the Army planned several programs, including three new aircraft. The Army Staff decided that these three aircraft, the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and the Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA) (later renamed Joint Cargo Aircraft, or JCA), were to be existing, in-production commercial aircraft modified for Army service.
LUH Program and UH-145
The LUH program was initiated in early 2004, with an initial stated requirement for 322 helicopters to conduct Homeland Security, administrative, logistic, Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) and support of the Army Test and Training Centers missions. The LUH contract was released in late July 2005. At least five proposals were received. The competitors included the Bell 210 and Bell 412Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
, MD Explorer
MD Helicopters MD Explorer
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5.-External links:* *...
and AW139
AgustaWestland AW139
The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project...
. EADS North America
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
(EADS NA) marketed the UH-145 variant of the EC 145 for the program.
Despite the impact of the four-month delay associated with the protests, EADS NA was still able to deliver the first UH-72 on time during a ceremony in December, at which time the name Lakota was also formally announced for the type, in line with the Army's long-standing tradition of giving its helicopters Native American names. The LUH marked EADS NA's largest DoD contract to date, and added to existing programs including the U.S. Coast Guard's
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
HH-65 Dolphin
HH-65 Dolphin
The Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined, single main rotor, MEDEVAC-capable Search and Rescue helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard...
and HC-144A
CASA CN-235
The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport plane that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and IPTN of Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transport. Its primary military roles include maritime patrol, surveillance, and air transport...
and various other defense and security systems contracts.
The Lakota received full rate production (FRP) approval on 23 August 2007. This will allow the Army to buy the full quantity of aircraft, planned at 345 through 2017 as of June 2008. The UH-72A is being produced at American Eurocopter's
American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter is a subsidiary of EADS North America, the United States subsidiary of EADS. American Eurocopter manufactures and markets a broad range of civil helicopters, and as of 2005 had almost a 50% share of the American market...
facility in Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
. Production was transitioning from local assembly of aircraft kits received from Eurocopter Deutschland
Eurocopter Group
The Eurocopter Group is a global helicopter manufacturing and support company. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries. Its head office is located on the property of Marseille-Provence International Airport in Marignane, France, near Marseille...
to full local production, which was slated to begin in March 2009. In December 2009, the Army ordered 45 more UH-72As to increase the order total to 178. The 100th Lakota was delivered in March 2010 from EADS NA to the US Army. By late August 2011, 180 had been delivered.
Design
The UH-72 is designed to take on a range of missions, from general support and medical evacuation (MEDEVACMEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
) to personnel recovery and counter-narcotics operations. They are planned to replace the UH-1 and OH-58A/C, which are older light utility helicopters, and supplant other types in domestic use, primarily those in Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
service.
The UH-72 is being procured as a commercial off-the-shelf
Commercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
(COTS) product, which simplifies logistics support of the fleet. EADS NA has teamed with Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
to provide Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for the UH-72, through its Helicopter Support, Inc. (HSI)/Sikorsky Aerospace Maintenance. (SAM) subsidiaries.
Operational history
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. On 12 December 2006, General Richard A. Cody
Richard A. Cody
Richard A. Cody is a retired United States Army general who served as the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from June 24, 2004 to July 31, 2008. He retired from the Army on August 1, 2008.-Early life and career:...
, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and Joe Red Cloud, a chief of the Oglala
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala Lakota or Oglala Sioux are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people; along with the Nakota and Dakota, they make up the Great Sioux Nation. A majority of the Oglala live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the eighth-largest Native American reservation in the...
Sioux Tribe, Lakota nation, accepted the first UH-72A in an official ceremony. The Army estimated that delivery of the planned 345 aircraft would continue until 2017.
The first production helicopters were sent to the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin Military Reservation
Fort Irwin & the National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Fort Irwin's...
, California for medical evacuation missions in January 2007. On 20 June 2007, the NTC's United States Army Air Ambulance Detachment (USAAAD) became the first operational unit to field the Lakota. On 10 July 2007, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Flight Detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia became the second Army unit fielded with the UH-72A.
A report published in August 2007, by the Operational Test and Evaluation Directorate (DOT&E) noted that, although the Lakota "is effective in the performance of light utility missions" it was prone to overheating during operations in the desert conditions of Fort Irwin, when not equipped with air conditioning systems. In response, vents were added in the doors to increase cabin air flow; air conditioning has been installed on some Medical and VIP versions also added air conditioning units for crew comfort.
The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) located at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
received their first aircraft on 7 September 2007. On 16 January 2009, the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
received two UH-72As, replacing two UH-1H helicopters for VIP transport to and from the academy. The helicopters also support the cadet parachute team and cadet training missions. The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
United States Naval Test Pilot School
The United States Naval Test Pilot School , located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test...
received the first of five UH-72As in September 2009. The UH-72A replaced the TH-6B Cayuse as the prime training aircraft for the test pilot school's helicopter curriculum.
By March 2010, the Lakota entered service in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Kwajalein Atoll, and the U.S. Army’s missile test range in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. On 20 December 2010, a UH-72A assigned to the Puerto Rico National Guard
Puerto Rico National Guard
The Puerto Rico National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components with a total authorized strength of 10,000 soldiers and airmen. The Constitution of the United States specifically...
became the first UH-72A to experience a fatal accident. The aircraft crashed at sea off the coast of Puerto Rico, and all six personnel aboard were killed.
Variants
UH-72A Lakota : An unarmed utility military version of the EC 145.Armed Scout 645 (EC645): A proposed armed version of the UH-72 for the US Army's OH-58D replacement program being offered by EADS and Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
. The companies announced a teaming agreement for the Armed Scout 645 on 4 May 2009. Three flight demonstrator aircraft named AAS-72X will be built in 2010. They are expected to begin flight testing in late 2010.
Operators
- United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
- (178 on order, 345 planned) - United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- United States Naval Test Pilot SchoolUnited States Naval Test Pilot SchoolThe United States Naval Test Pilot School , located at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test...
(5 )