European Aeronautic Space and Defense Co. (EADS) North America demonstrated two possible entrants for the Army’s Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) helicopter program, company executives said recently.
EADS held voluntary flight demos of its AAS-72X+ and AAS-72X helicopters Sept. 24 through Oct. 3 in Alamosa, Colo., EADS North America Vice President of Rotorcraft David Haines told reporters at the National Press Club in Washington. EADS N.A. Chairman and CEO Sean O’Keefe said recently the Defense Department wants to decide by the end of the year whether to extend the life of its current its Vietnam-era OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter and or hold a competition to replace it.
O’Keefe said the company is set up to win a potential competition.
“It’s the one we think that, in terms of timeliness, positions us as well as we know how to make this not only a viable alternative, but one we think is going to win,” O’Keefe said recently.
The AAS-72X is an armed derivative of the Army’s UH-72A Lakota helicopter. EADS said the AAS-72X is cost-competitive with the proposed Kiowa Warrior upgrades and could be fielded as soon as 2016. The AAS-72X+ has the same mission capability as the 72X but with significant performance enhancements such as twin engines and a Fenestron tail rotor and a Helionix glass cockpit. Lockheed Martin [LMT] is developing the mission equipment for both the AAS-72X and 72X+.
EADS said it successfully completed during its voluntary flight demonstrations all Army handling and performance requirements, despite the high altitude of Alamosa. EADS chose Alamosa to demonstrate the altitude and weather extremes, similar to Afghanistan, the AAS-72X and AAS-72X+ can perform in.
Bell Helicopter [TXT] spokesman Greg Hubbard said recently the company will participate in the AAS program, offering its OH-58 Block II. Sikorsky [UTX] spokesman Frans Jurgens said the company will offer its S-97 model, which includes the X-2 rotocraft design. Boeing [BA] will offer its AH-6. Finmeccanica’s AgustaWestland is also rumored to be interested in the AAS program.