LUH: EADS Wins With EC-145

By Rotorhub 06/2006

The US DoD said today it is awarding its LUH (Light Utility Helicopter) contract to EADS' Eurocopter unit. The helicopter chosen - the EC-145 - is a known quantity in utility and EMS circles where it has scored high marks for reliability and versatility. The decison means the Army picked 'mid-field' in terms of technological newness, rejecting both Agusta Westland's new A-139, the less new MDHI 992 Explorer and the doughty Bell 412EP.

 The Army's Aviation and Missile  Command's Kim Henry released the following shortly after:

REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL - The U.S. Army has awarded a $43.09 million contract to EADS North American Defense of Arlington, Va. for the production and contractor logistics support of the Light Utility Helicopter. The Army intends to procure and field a total of 322 Light Utility Helicopters beginning in Fiscal Year 2007. 

"The Light Utility Helicopter contract action we signed today will have far reaching effects," said Col. Cory Mahanna, Utility Helicopters Project Manager. "This fleet of U.S. Army aircraft will benefit America in crisis situations, like those associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Hugo, and the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens' explosion.  The LUH will be our Army's 'first responder' during future disaster scenarios. This new aircraft will give our Soldiers an important new tool for use in the defense and security of our homeland." 

The LUH is a commercial / non-developmental item aircraft to conduct light general support, civil search and rescue, personnel recovery, air ambulance medical evacuation, casualty evacuation, limited civil command and control operations in the conduct of homeland security, and counter-drug operations.  The LUH is intended to perform these functions only in permissive, non-combat operational environments.  The primary users for the LUH are the active Army units and the Army National Guard.

Read original article by Rotohub.com