UH-72A Lakota

The US Army's LHX program began in the early 1980s, proposing two helicopter designs with a high percentage of commonality of dynamic components. One was a light utility version ("LHX-U") for assault and tactical movement of troops and supplies, the other was a light scout/attack version ("LHX-SCAT") to complement the growing development of the AH-64 Apache. As the program was developed, the light utility version was dropped and focus was placed on the light attack reconnaissance version, which eventually became the RAH-66 Comanche.

In 2004, the Department of Defense and the US Army made the decision to terminate the RAH-66 program. As part of the termination, the Army was allowed to keep the future years' funding programmed for the Comanche. To replace the capability that the Comanche was supposed to offer, the Army planned several programs, including three new aircraft. The Army Staff decided that these three aircraft, the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and the Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA) (later renamed Joint Cargo Aircraft, or JCA), were to be existing, in-production commercial aircraft modified for Army service.

The LUH program was initiated in early 2004, with an initial stated requirement for 322 helicopters to conduct Homeland Security, administrative, logistic, Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) and support of the Army Test and Training Centers missions. The LUH contract was released in late July 2005. At least five proposals were received. The competitors included the Bell 210 and Bell 412, MD Explorer and AW139. EADS North America (EADS NA) marketed the UH-145 variant of the EC 145 for the program.

On 30 June 2006, the Army announced that the EADS NA entry had won the competition for the LUH contract, the value for which was estimated as being worth over $3 billion. In August, the UH-145 airframe was officially designated the UH-72A by the Department of Defense. The UH-145 award was confirmed in October 2006 following protests from losing bidders.

Despite the impact of the four-month delay associated with the protests, EADS NA was still able to deliver the first UH-72 on time during a ceremony in December, at which time the name Lakota was also formally announced for the type, in line with the Army's long-standing tradition of giving its helicopters Native American names. The LUH marked EADS NA's largest DoD contract to date, and added to existing programs including the U.S. Coast Guard's HH-65 Dolphin and HC-144A and various other defense and security systems contracts.

The Lakota received full rate production (FRP) approval on 23 August 2007. This will allow the Army to buy the full quantity of aircraft, planned at 345 through 2017 as of June 2008. The UH-72A is being produced at American Eurocopter's facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Production was transitioning from local assembly of aircraft kits received from Eurocopter Deutschland to full local production, which was slated to begin in March 2009. In December 2009, the Army ordered 45 more UH-72As to increase the order total to 178. The 100th Lakota was delivered in March 2010 from EADS NA to the US Army. By late August 2011, 180 had been delivered.

Operational History

The first aircraft was delivered to the United States Army on 11 December 2006 in Columbus, Mississippi. On 12 December 2006, General Richard A. Cody, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and Joe Red Cloud, a chief of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Lakota nation, accepted the first UH-72A in an official ceremony. The Army estimated that delivery of the planned 345 aircraft would continue until 2017.

The first production helicopters were sent to the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California for medical evacuation missions in January 2007. On 20 June 2007, the NTC's United States Army Air Ambulance Detachment (USAAAD) became the first operational unit to field the Lakota. On 10 July 2007, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Flight Detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia became the second Army unit fielded with the UH-72A.

A report published in August 2007, by the Operational Test and Evaluation Directorate (DOT&E) noted that, although the Lakota "is effective in the performance of light utility missions" it was prone to overheating during operations in the desert conditions of Fort Irwin, when not equipped with air conditioning systems. In response, vents were added in the doors to increase cabin air flow; air conditioning has been installed on some Medical and VIP versions also added air conditioning units for crew comfort.

The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) located at Fort Polk, Louisiana received their first aircraft on 7 September 2007. On 16 January 2009, the United States Military Academy received two UH-72As, replacing two UH-1H helicopters for VIP transport to and from the academy. The helicopters also support the cadet parachute team and cadet training missions. The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School received the first of five UH-72As in September 2009. The UH-72A replaced the TH-6B Cayuse as the prime training aircraft for the test pilot school's helicopter curriculum.

By March 2010, the Lakota entered service in Puerto Rico, Kwajalein Atoll, and the U.S. Army’s missile test range in Germany. On 20 December 2010, a UH-72A assigned to the Puerto Rico National Guard became the first UH-72A to experience a fatal accident. The aircraft crashed at sea off the coast of Puerto Rico, and all six personnel aboard were killed.

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