Both the Army and Navy were busy shoring up their helicopter fleets last week. First, the Army awarded a $116.9 million contract to Airbus for additional UH-72A Lakota Utility helicopters. The Lakota features a twin-engine design with a single, four-bladed main rotor. It’s used primarily to help transport troops and supplies and has been in use by the Army since 2007.
Production of the new choppers will take place at the Airbus facility in Columbus, Mississippi with a targeted completion date of September 2023. This agreement expands on a contract from earlier this month when the Army awarded Airbus a $273.2 million contract for 35 Lakotas.
Continuing with the helicopter theme, the Navy awarded a $102.8 million contract to Bell-Boeing JPO in support of the tiltrotor V-22 Osprey aircraft. The agreement covers various repair services for the Osprey, which features the unique ability to take off and land vertically and on short runways. It is primarily used by the Marine Corps and Air Force.
The contract will be fulfilled in Fort Worth, Texas and Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. This contract also adds on to a previous $200+ million agreement signed by the two organizations. These announcements from both the Army and Navy would seem to reinforce the growing need for military aircraft that can provide greater logistical support to answer the call during combat operations or to provide aid during natural disasters.