The Army awarded Airbus Helicopters a contract worth up to a maximum of $867 million to provide spare parts and material and engineering support for UH-72A Lakota helicopters, the company said Wednesday.
The Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract has one base year with four one-year options. Airbus is set to provide the helicopter support at Army and National Guard bases in 43 states; Kwajalein, Guam; Puerto Rico; and Germany. The U.S. bases include Fort Rucker, Ala. where the UH-72A is operational as the Army’s initial-entry training helicopter.
Photo: Airbus.
The initial contract installment has been exercised at $17.4 million.
Airbus said this CLS contract is one of the largest performance-based support contracts managed by the company globally. It is a follow-on contract to the successful completion of 10 years of CLS support by Airbus Helicopters.
The Lakota is a commercial-off-the-shelf twin-engine helicopter with a glass cockpit, flight control, and navigation systems.
“This contract shows that the people of Airbus Helicopters have proven that we can and will meet our commitments to provide high-quality helicopters and outstanding support to the men and women that serve our country in the U.S. Army. For a decade we have continuously delivered helicopters, spare parts, and other support to the Army on time and on budget. We will continue to meet the Army’s requirements,” Airbus Helicopters president Chris Emerson, said in a statement.
The UH-72A production and logistics management is conducted from company headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas. Production occurs in Columbus, Miss.
The Army has previously contracted for 423 Lakotas.
Airbus said it has so far delivered 393 UH-72As to the Army. They are used in missions including training, air medical transport, search and rescue, and Army National Guard support of Customs and Border Protection operations. The Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Md., also operates five Lakotas while the Royal Thai Army operates six.