April 9, 2008
EADS North America’s growing role as a supplier to the U.S. Army was showcased at this week’s Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) annual convention, where one of the service’s new UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters was displayed.
The UH-72A exhibited at National Harbor, Maryland, is in operation at Fort Polk, Louisiana, where Lakotas support the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) – the U.S. Army's premier training center for light infantry and special operations units.
This is one of 24 UH-72A Lakotas delivered by EADS North America to the U.S. Army on time, or ahead of schedule, through the first quarter of 2008. Under terms of a contract awarded in June 2006, up to 345 UH-72As will be acquired by the Army for homeland security operations, medical evacuation, passenger/logistics transportation and drug interdiction missions.
Pilots who brought the Lakota to Maryland for the AAAA convention said Fort Polk’s Lakotas are assigned a variety of duties, including transportation for distinguished visitors and medical airlift when necessary.
“We really love flying the Lakota – it’s a great machine, and it does just what the pilot wants it to do,” one of the Army aviators said. “Additionally, the UH-72A’s modern cockpit is fantastic – once you’ve been in the Lakota, all of the other helicopters seem way behind in terms of technology.”
EADS North America’s exhibit stand at the AAAA annual convention included an example of Fairchild Controls’ product line of compressors used in airborne cooling systems of various sizes. The 54-mm. compressor displayed by Fairchild Controls is used on U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters and the U.S. Presidential Executive Transport Helicopter.
Also displayed at the AAAA convention was a scale model of EADS Socata’s new TBM 850 very-fast single-engine turboprop aircraft. Selected by many U.S. civilian customers for its speed and efficiency, the TBM 850 also is well tailored for homeland security, surveillance and liaison duties.
The aircraft can be equipped with a retractable turret located under the aft fuselage, capable of carrying electro-optical and infrared sensors, as well as a CCD (charged coupled device) television camera. A separate under-fuselage hard-point can accommodate up to 550 lb., enabling a FLIR system, ground surveillance equipment or a target tow installation to be incorporated on the aircraft. In addition, under-wing hard points are designed to carry scientific experiments or other equipment, with a maximum allowable suspended weight of 300 lb. per wing.
