The product office for the Army’s Light Utility Helicopter, the UH-72A Lakota showcased its latest version of the prototype aircraft to meet National Guard requirements Nov. 16 at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) North America-built Lakota helicopter Mission Equipment Package (MEP) meets requirements of Army National Guard (ARNG) Security and Support (S&S) battalions. All the S&S MEP components were required to be commercially available.
“The MEP significantly improves the UH-72A capabilities for conducting the Security & Support (S&S) mission,” said Lt. Col. Dave Bristol, product manager for Lakota helicopters. “The aircraft provides long range electro-optical sensors and the ability to record and down link data, which will aid the ARNG in its Homeland Security, Counter Drug, and Border Patrol missions.”
“This aircraft is unique in that it is primarily a commercial-off-the-shelf product,” said Col. Neil Thurgood, project manager for Utility Helicopters on Redstone Arsenal. “This is a success story of the joint efforts with the National Guard and the project office in creating a package that is exactly what they’d like it to become, and it meets all the requirements.”
Included in the kit is a turreted L-3 Wescam [LLL] MX-15i electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor and laser pointer; EuroAvionics EuroNav V RN6 moving map system and two SkyQuest eight-inch, touch-screen displays; a video management system, SkyQuest VRDV-4010 digital video recorder and data downlink system; plus additional avionics and Sierra Nevada Tactilink Eagle data communications equipment.
The helicopter is also equipped with a 30-million-candlepower Mark IV Industries‘ LuminatorLS16 searchlight that is mounted on the aft starboard step and slaved to the MX-15, and the same Goodrich [GR] 44301 series rescue hoist that is included in the Lakota’s medical evacuation MEP.
Ninety-nine aircraft will receive the S&S MEP. The first retrofit will be completed in May 2011; that aircraft will be fielded in June 2011. “As of now, the first unit to receive the UH-72A is based at Tupelo, Mississippi,” said Bristol.
The Lakota has progressed on schedule and within budget constraints and has been well received by Army aircrews, said Thurgood. “The product office’s success is a testament to our determination to support homeland security missions and to the warfighter.”
The program began in 2008 with a plan to equip the first unit in the summer of 2011.
The rapid acquisition, production and fielding of the UH-72A Lakota aircraft over the last three and a half years has allowed the Army to transfer 24 UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft produced by Sikorsky [UTX] to other missions that support overseas contingency operations. It has allowed the retirement of aging UH-1 and OH-58A/C, both built by Bell Helicopter [TXT], by replacing them with modern, capable aircraft.
The Army plans to acquire 345 Lakotas through 2016, and has ordered 202 of the helicopters so far, along with five H-72A versions for the Navy.
To date, more than 25,000 flight hours have been logged at an operational readiness rate of more than 90 percent.
The prototype UH-72A Lakota serial 09-72099 S&S MEP conducted its first flight test at the EADS American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Miss., facility on June 16. The aircraft also visited service officials at Ft. Rucker, Ala., and service leaders at the Pentagon.