Army notice for more UH-72s

The Army has taken another step via a “sources sought” notice published Jan. 4 to begin the process of awarding a contract for up to 35 additional UH-72 Lakota helicopters. Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss., has assembled more than 400 UH-72s under contracts dating to 2006. The notice checks off a requirement to investigate whether there are competitive options. Parent company Airbus owns all technical data on the UH-72 that means a potential competitor would have to buy the data from the Airbus to build the helicopter. In 2014, the Army selected the UH-72A for its helicopter trainer, which is conducted primarily at Fort Rucker, Ala. The Army’s approved budget for FY 2017 contains funds for 23 Lakotas – meaning 12 could be purchased under future budgets. A new order from the Army may be necessary to keep the Columbus facility open, according to Airbus. (Source: Flight Global 01/04/18)