Airbus bringing Lakota to Fort Rucker

Airbus Helicopters, Inc. and the United States Army signed a $273 million contract to bring 17 new UH-72A Lakotas to Fort Rucker recently.

The announcement was made on the Department of Defense's website on Thursday, March 8.

The UH-72A Lakota is a "twin-engine light utility helicopter used for a wide range of military operations," according to Airbus' website. These operations include border patrol, MEDEVAC, troop transport and Homeland Security.

"Available in multiple configurations with the lowest cost to buy, own and operate of any U.S. military helicopter in production, the UH-72A is a key component of the Army’s Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI) and the primary rotary-wing trainer for the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala.," the company's website states.

This contract, according to Vertical magazine, comes after a lengthy legal battle between Airbus and Leonardo Helicopters. According to the magazine, Leonardo Helicopters attempted to "block the sole-source procurement of Lakotas for training purposes, arguing that the Army should instead hold a competition to replace its fleet of aging Bell TH-67 training helicopters."

Using Lakotas as training helicopters was one aspect of the Army's Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI).

According to the Army's website, the ARI was "intended to rebalance force structure into a smaller, more capable and sustainable aviation force."

The initiative is an attempt to reduce costs and "addressing fleet obsolescence," the Army's website states.

Airbus, which has an office in Daleville, will deliver the 17 UH-72A Lakotas for Fort Rucker's Initial Entry Rotary Wing mission. It will also deliver 18 UH-72A Lakotas to the Army's Combat Training Centers for the Observer/Controller mission, according to a press release from Airbus' website.

The Lakotas will be built at the company's Columbus, Miss., site, according to the DoD's website. Work is expected to be completed by March 8, 2021.

“We are proud that the U.S. Army has continued to rely on us to provide this versatile capability for its aviation fleet," Chris Emerson, President and CEO of Airbus Helicopters, Inc. and Head of North American Region said. "We have an unbroken record of on-cost and high-quality program excellence and support for this aircraft."