Columbus in line for H145M?

Airbus Helicopters is interested in producing its H145M military rotorcraft at its final assembly plant in Columbus, Miss., and lobbying for support from Capitol Hill to export sales of the U.S.-built aircraft. The Columbus facility already assembles UH-72 Lakota helicopters - based on the earlier EC145 variant for the U.S. Army; and that AH is keen on standardizing global production of the newer model. Mark Henning, H145M program manager, speaking in Hungary on July 27, said the situation has been explained to the Army and "they are listening in an interested manner." Henning believes there is growing interest by the Army to re-establish its armed scout capability, lost when the Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopters were retired in 2016. Christian Fanchini, a marketing executive for Airbus Helicopters' HForce weapons program, believes the Army could be interested in the H145M, but whether or not the service selects it may depend on congressional-funding for the Foreign Military Sales process, if the helicopters are built in Mississippi. (Source: Flight Global 07/30/18)