Includes First Tailboom Produced At Columbus Plant

EADS North America marked a major industrial milestone for the US Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter program this week, delivering its first final assembly line (FAL) aircraft from the Eurocopter production facility at Columbus, MS.

This key step -- which, EADS notes, was achieved on schedule -- is part of the company's goal of establishing full production of the UH-72A in the United States. The Lakota's industrialization is the responsibility of the American Eurocopter business unit of EADS North America, and is performed in a 220,000 sq. ft. purpose-built factory at the Golden Triangle Airport Industrial Complex.

"EADS North America is not only meeting all of our commitments to the Army, but also meeting our commitments to the US taxpayer," said EADS North America Chairman and CEO Ralph D. Crosby, Jr. "We are creating high-value jobs, in-sourcing technology to the United States and bringing the production of one of the world's most successful helicopters to a new rotary-wing center of excellence in Mississippi. Our Army customers are pleased with the performance and capabilities of the Lakota and we look forward to supporting the Navy's training requirements."

The UH-72A is based on Eurocopter's EC145 multi-role helicopter. As part of EADS North America's expansion of its industrial presence in the United States, the company has established a full-scale production capability for the Lakota at its American Eurocopter facility in Columbus.

A phased stand-up of the UH-72A production line was developed after the Light Utility Helicopter's contract award to EADS North America in June 2006. This allowed the company to meet the Army's need for a new light utility helicopter, while simultaneously implementing a low-risk plan to transition to full-scale US production of the UH-72A. The production transition process involves three major overlapping production phases – Light Assembly Line (LAL), Full Assembly Line (FAL) and Production Line (PL).

EADS North America's initial UH-72A from the FAL phase was the 41st Lakota delivered to the Army. It completed seven of the 14 assembly production work stations involved in the Eurocopter's production in Columbus – including the installation of flight instruments, engines, tail boom and doors to systems test, flight testing and airworthiness approval.

This aircraft also incorporates the first UH-72A tail boom that was entirely manufactured at the Columbus facility -- representing another element of the Lakota's production transfer to the US.

FMI: www.eadsnorthamerica.com, www.army.mil