The fleet has achieved a major operational milestone 15 years after entering service with the US Army.
The Airbus Helicopters’ UH-72 Lakota fleet has exceeded 1 million flight-hours with the US Army since entering service in 2006.
The flight hours have been shared cross 463 platforms, delivered over the past 14 years.
“Many of the men and women who build the Lakota in Mississippi are US military veterans themselves, and they take a lot of pride in supporting the aviators who serve our nation,” Scott Tumpak, Airbus head of military helicopter programs in the US, said.
“The million-hour milestone is a testament to the commitment of that workforce who has supported unprecedented on-time deliveries and to the reliability and versatility of the aircraft they build.”
The milestone comes just a month after Airbus delivered the first of the new variant, the UH-72B, to the National Guard.
The National Guard placed an order in 2020 for 18 UH-72B aircraft, which are based on the H145.
The aircraft’s features include a Fenestron tail rotor, more powerful engines, enhanced controls and the Airbus Helionix avionics suite.
The Lakota is expected to be operational for Army and National Guard units in 45 states and territories by the end of the month.
The helicopter is also operated by the US Naval Test Pilot School and Royal Thai Army, and supports US Army combat training.
The fleet’s missions include training, general utility, search and rescue, disaster response, homeland security, drug interdiction, command and control, and VIP transport.
This article is courtesy of Defence Connect.
