Navy considering Army helos

The Navy is studying whether to take an Army training helicopter – in the midst of being retired in favor of the UH-72A “Lakota” - to modernize its own helicopter pilot training program. In Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee testimony March 25, with the Navy’s director for air warfare, Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker asked about Navy plans to augment its TH-57 ‘Sea Ranger’ training fleet with the Army TH-67 Creek helicopters. The two helos are based on the same Bell Jet Ranger airfame, but the TH-57 has more modern instrumentation. The Navy uses the TH-57B for visual flight rules training; and TH-57Cs for instrument rules flight training. The Navy is two-thirds way through an analysis of its rotary-wing aviator training program, Rear Adm. Michael C. Manazir told Wicker. In the interim, the admiral wants the Army to provide some TH-67s trainers and have them converted into TH-57s. (Seapower magazine 03/25/15) Central Mississippi Note: Airbus Helicopters Inc.'s Columbus, Miss., plant produces UH-72A "Lakota" helicopters for the Army. There are plans to deliver 25 this year. Navy helicopter training is conducted at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla. Army helicopter training is located at Fort Rucker, Ala.