Article Posted on : - Mar 18, 2010

The Lakota light utility helicopter. An EADS Photo

COLUMBUS (BNS): The US Army has received the 100th Lakota light utility helicopter from Euroepan defence and aerospace company EADS.

The twin-engine chopper was delivered to the Army by EADS's North American subsidiary at its facility here on March 5, the company announced.

The helicopter will be deployed at the US Army's Joint Multinational Readiness Centre (JMRC) in Germany and will be used to train pilots for combat missions and to carry various equipment.

The US Army intends to acquire 345 Lakota choppers by 2016. The choppers presently operational by the Army are being used to conduct search and rescue missions, drug interdiction, VIP transport among other tasks.

US has already placed an order for 182 Lakotas along with five H-72A versions for its Navy.

The UH 72A Lakota helicopter entered service with the US Army in 2007. By March 2009, the Army has received 60 such choppers.

The Lakota is a variant of the EADS-designed EC145 multi-mission helicopter. It can carry two pilots and six crew members.

The chopper incorporates a modern, night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit. Its Vehicle and Engine Management Display helps crewmembers in integrating and synthesizing flight and vehicle information, increasing their situational awareness and reducing pilot workload.