Army opts for 12 Columbus-Lakotas

The Army has exercised $65.8 million in contract options for 12 UH-72A Lakota helicopters and mission equipment packages from Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss. Since 2006, AHI has delivered nearly 350 Lakotas to the Army, Navy and Royal Thai Army. The dozen UH-72As for this contract option will be delivered in August 2017, and as the Army’s initial entry rotary-wing trainer. The Army has fielded more than 50 Lakotas to Fort Rucker, Ala., in preparation for its FY-2016 formal introduction into its training curriculum. The Army plans for 187 Lakotas to be delivered for initial-entry rotary wing training. The Navy operates UH-72As in training at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. (Clarion-Ledger 11/13/15) Central Mississippi Note: AHI’s Columbus plant opened in 2004. It also produces the AS350 B2/B3 AStar commercial helicopter.