The Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter) UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine helicopter with a single, four-bladed main rotor. It is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145, Airbus Helicopters, Inc., a division of the Airbus Group. Since their introduction in 2006, several hundred of various types have entered service by the 2020s.
Initially marketed as the UH-145, the helicopter was selected as the winner of the United States Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program in June 2006. In October 2006, American Eurocopter was awarded a production contract for 345 aircraft to replace the aging Bell UH-1H/V Iroquois and Bell OH-58A/C Kiowa helicopters in the US Army and Army National Guard fleets. The UH-72 performs non-combat logistics and support missions within the US for homeland security, disaster response missions, and medical evacuations. This allows the more expensive Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks and other types to be freed up for frontline service. The UH-72A is also used for helicopter pilot training.
In the 2020s, the upgraded UH-72B version with upgrades and a distinct ducted tail rotor began to enter service. The helicopter is noted for its lower procurement and operating costs, and deliveries are noted as being on-budget and on-time to the U.S. Army. The B model with 5-blade rotors (4 blades for A model) and other improvements was introduced in the 2020s and is the latest model entering service in 2021. Tests of an unmanned version were conducted. An armed scout version was entered in the U.S. Army's Armed Aerial Scout competition, though that program was cancelled in 2014 due to budget cuts. By 2022, over 460 aircraft had been produced including the A and B models.
Development Background The U.S. 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,"US Army set new LHX Timetable"; . Fight International, 27 February 1988. which eventually became the RAH-66 Comanche."From LHX to Comanche"; . Globalsecurity.org, 25 March 2008.
In 2004, the U.S. Department of Defense and the US Army made the decision to terminate the RAH-66 program. As part of the termination, the Army retained the future years' funding intended for the Comanche."Briefing on the Restructure and Revitalization of Army Aviation"; . U.S. Department of Defense, 23 February 2004. To replace the capability of the cancelled Comanche, the US 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.
LUH Program and UH-145 The LUH program was initiated in early 2004, with an initial 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 July 2005. At least five proposals were received, including the Bell 210 and Bell 412, MD Explorer, and AgustaWestland AW139. EADS North America (EADS NA) marketed the UH-145 variant of the EC 145 for the program."EADS North America to Offer the UH-145 for the U.S. Army's light utility helicopter (LUH) mission" . EADS North America, 24 August 2005.
In June 2006, the UH-145 won the $3 billion LUH contract. In August, the UH-145 was designated UH-72A by the Department of Defense. The award was confirmed in October 2006 following protests from losing bidders. Despite a four-month delay due to the protests, the first UH-72 was delivered on time in December, when the name Lakota was announced for the type, following the service's tradition of giving Native American names to its helicopters.
In August 2007, the UH-72A received full-rate production (FRP) approval to produce an initially planned fleet of 345 aircraft through 2017."The UH-72A “comes home” to its new Army assignment in Mississippi" . EADS North America, 7 June 2008. The UH-72A is produced at Airbus Helicopters's facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Initial production was assembly of kits received from Eurocopter Deutschland but full local production was reached in 2009."EADS underscores commitment to U.S. production" . Reuters, 9 May 2008. In December 2009, the service ordered 45 more UH-72As."EADS North America receives $247 million contract for Light Utility Helicopter program" . EADS North America, 10 December 2009.
The 100th Lakota was delivered in March 2010, and the 250th was delivered in April 2013.EADS North America Delivers 250th UH-72A Lakota Helicopter to U.S. Army – EADS North America press release, 25 April 2013 That month, the U.S. Army opted to halt procurement after 2014 due to budget cuts.Army Trimming Light Utility Helicopter Program – Aviationweek.com, 10 April 2013. At that point, a total of 312 Lakotas were on order by the service.The Last Of The Lakotas . Strategypage.com, 29 May 2013. In January 2014, Congress gave the Army $171 million to procure 20 additional UH-72As.US Army to acquire 20 more Lakotas Flightglobal.com, 17 January 2014. The 300th UH-72 was delivered to the Army in May 2014.Airbus Group Delivers 300th On-Time, On-Budget UH-72A Lakota Helicopter to U.S. Army – Reuters.com, 14 May 2014
In May 2013, Congress questioned why the UH-72 had not been considered for the armed scout role. The Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno stated that the UH-72A was developed for domestic operations and is not considered to be operationally deployable to combat zones. The UH-72 is employed by the US Army National Guard in a utility role in the US, releasing UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to deploy overseas.Cox, Matthew. "Army Defends GCV, Keeps Lakota Stateside". DoDBuzz.com, 9 May 2013.
In June 2013, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall stated in a letter to Congress that UH-72 combat modifications were "presently unaffordable". Fleet-wide combat modifications would reportedly cost $780 million and add of weight per helicopter. Changes would include passive and active survivability systems, hardened engines and drivetrain, external lighting and communications upgrades."Upgrading UH-72As for combat conditions 'unaffordable', Pentagon says." Jane's, 27 June 2013.
Trainer use Since 2009 the U.S. Navy has operated several UH-72As along with TH-67 Creeks at the Naval Test Pilot School. These replaced TH-6 Cayuses. In 2011, the Navy UH-72As were equipped with special avionics to support training for students.
In December 2013, the US Army was considering retiring its OH-58 Kiowa fleet and transferring all Army National Guard and US Army Reserve AH-64 Apaches to the active Army to serve as scout helicopters. With this plan, all 100 active Army UH-72s along with 104 Army National Guard UH-72s would be transferred for use as training helicopters, replacing the Bell TH-67 Creek at the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Some active Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks would be transferred to Army Reserve and Army National Guard units for homeland defense and disaster response missions. The proposals aim to retire older helicopters to substantially reduce costs while retaining crucial capabilities."Army Plans To Scrap Kiowa Helo Fleet" . MarineCorpstimes.com, 9 December 2013. With the prospect of most UH-72s being repurposed as training helicopters, the Army requested funds to buy 100 more Lakotas to add to the training fleet. The FY2015 budget covered 55 helicopters, and the funds from FY2016 were to be used to complete the purchase. – Defensenews.com, 27 February 2014
In September 2014, the Army issued a notice of intention to buy up to 155 UH-72s for training "on an other than full and open competitive basis". AgustaWestland launched a judicial bid to have the acquisition declared unlawful, claiming that the EC145 did not offer the best value for money and that its "restricted flight maneuver envelope" impeded training. Airbus defended the Army's position, noting the EC145's prior selection, claiming AgustaWestland's cost figures were exaggerated and that it was already used for training.Rotorcraft rivals trade blows over US Army trainer buy – Flightglobal.com, 29 September 2014
Bell Helicopter also criticized the decision but took no legal actions. In October 2014, a Federal Claims Court issued a temporary order denying the US government's challenge of AgustaWestland's action until the Army issued a final justification and approval (J&A) to sole-source the procurement. The Army contended that the UH-72A came under the 2006 LUH contract, and so did not require a new J&A, effectively nullifying the challenge.Army Moves Ahead with Airbus Trainer Plan . Ainonline.com, 7 December 2014
The court sided with AgustaWestland, rejected the Army's J&A, and halted UH-72 procurement for training after finding that the Army had exaggerated the costs and time needed to acquire a training helicopter. The initial acquisition process was found negligent as it effectively tied the UH-72 to Airbus for its serviceable life. The court ordered the Army to either conduct a procurement for new training helicopters, or stop buying UH-72 trainers.In the United States Court of Federal Claims, MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ENJOINING THE ARMY'S DESIGNATION OF THE UH-72A LAKOTA HELICOPTER AS THE ARMY'S "INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING HELICOPTER" AND DECEMBER 10, 2015 PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL UH-72A LAKOTA HELICOPTERS, WITHOUT "FULL AND OPEN" COMPETITION ; No. 14-877 C Filed 24 August 2016, PUBLIC VERSION; hosted on Defense Daily Network. The Army appealed the decision. The lawsuit was overturned on appeal in favor of the US Army in 2018. The Army retired its last TH-67 trainer in 2021.
The UH-72 has faced controversy as a trainer due to perceived problems with its use as an initial trainer. A study by the National Commission on the Future of the Army, a commission established by Congress to make recommendations on force structure of the Army to the president, concluded that the UH-72 was cost-prohibitive as a training helicopter and there were cheaper options available to buy. It also showed that most instructor pilots disapproved of the UH-72, deeming it "too much aircraft for the mission", and unsuitable as an initial entry trainer.
The UH-72 has also been criticized as unable to teach touchdown auto-rotations, among other maneuvers. The German Army had stopped using EC-135s for their initial trainer after Airbus advised them of it not being suitable for initial training. The US Navy rejected the UH-72 as a trainer for the same reason. By 2024, the US Army was looking at alternatives to the UH-72 as a trainer due to cost and complexity, only three years after it took over from the preceding TH-67 helicopter it replaced.
Proposed uses