
US Army Signs For New Lakota Helicopters Following Legal Battle
After years of legal wrangling, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. has finally received a contract from the U.S. Army for additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters.
The U.S. Department of Defense announced on March 8 that Airbus has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract valued at approximately $273 million for the procurement of 35 Lakota aircraft.
According to Airbus, the procurement will include two configurations: 17 Lakotas for the initial entry rotary-wing training mission at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and 18 Lakotas for the observer/controller mission at the Army’s Combat Training Centers. In addition to the aircraft, the contract encompasses program management, and technical and flight operator manuals.