News
Airbus Group delivers first new UH-72A Lakota for Army initial-entry trainer mission
Press release
March 26, 2015
Airbus Group delivers 300th on-time, on-budget UH-72A Lakota helicopter to U.S. Army
Press release
May 14, 2014
Congress continues support of UH-72A Lakota helicopter
Press release
January 17, 2014
> View archive
> Receive regular updates on the UH-72A Lakota program with our e-mail updates.
Press release EADS North America expands UH-145 industrial team
Three leading suppliers - Turbomeca, Keith Products and Aerolite - to provide key helicopter systems
Arlington, Virginia, February 15, 2006 - EADS
North America and its subsidiary American Eurocopter have expanded the
UH-145 team with the addition of three new U.S. suppliers, broadening
the American industrial footprint for this rotary-wing aircraft offered
in the Army's Light Utility Helicopter competition.
Joining the UH-145 program are Turbomeca USA of Grand Prairie, Texas;
Keith Products of Addison, Texas and Aerolite of Everett, Washington.
"Brought together under the leadership of our American Eurocopter subsidiary,
these new program partners bring significant expertise in critical military
helicopter systems and hardware, adding even more value to our Light
Utility Helicopter solution for the U.S. Army," said Ralph D. Crosby,
Jr., Chairman and CEO of EADS North America. "The commitment of these
key suppliers to manufacture major UH-145 subsystems and components
in the U.S. reflects the EADS strategy of insourcing jobs and technology
to the U.S. that will significantly contribute to the nation's defense."
The three companies join UH-145 team founding members EADS North America,
American Eurocopter, Sikorsky, WestWind Technologies and CAE USA.
Turbomeca USA will assemble and test the UH-145's Arriel 1E2 engines
at its Grand Prairie, Texas factory. These reliable turboshaft engines
are part of Turbomeca's Arriel family of powerplants used on rotary-wing
aircraft around the world, including American Eurocopter's HH-65s for
the U.S. Coast Guard - which are being fitted with Arriel 2C2s as part
of a major upgrade program. Turbomeca's Grand Prairie factory is located
adjacent to American Eurocopter's U.S. headquarters, and is being expanded
to accommodate UH-145 engine production as well as its growing U.S.
business volume.
Keith Products has been selected to produce the UH-145's cabin heating
and ventilation systems, along with the avionics cooling system. The
cabin heating and ventilation system manages the interior temperature
for crew and passengers, while the avionics cooling system ensures proper
operating temperatures for the helicopter's navigation, communications
and mission equipment. Keith Products already supplies these heating,
ventilation and cooling systems as standard equipment for all civilian
EC145 versions of the UH-145, producing the hardware at its Addison,
Texas headquarters.
Aerolite will provide the cabin installation for NATO-standard stretchers
used on the UH-145 for medical evacuation missions. The company's retainer
mounts were chosen after a "fit-check" competition with other mounting
systems, and were selected for their simple, but rugged, ergonomic design.
Aerolite already has supplied NATO-standard stretcher installations
for numerous civilian emergency medical service (EMS) operators and
police forces, and the company will manufacture its UH-145 retainer
mounts in the U.S.
The U.S.-built UH-145 is an American solution based on the multi-mission
EC145 rotary-wing aircraft, which has become the helicopter of choice
for many U.S. hospitals and medical evacuation providers. These twin-engine
aircraft are operating daily in the same challenging missions foreseen
for the Army's Light Utility Helicopter, which will be assigned duties
that include medical evacuation, passenger and logistics transportation,
search and rescue, and homeland security operations.
About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)
EADS North America is the North American operations of EADS, the second
largest aerospace and defense company in the world. As a leader in all
sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its
parent company, EADS, contribute over $6 billion to the U.S. economy
annually and support more than 100,000 American jobs through its network
of suppliers and services. With 10 operating companies located in 28
cities and 15 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced
solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace
and defense markets.
• View the News archive.