ARLINGTON, Va. -- EADS North America delivered its first final assembly line (FAL) aircraft for the U.S. Army's UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter program.
This step is part of EADS North America's plan to establish full production of the UH-72A in the U.S.
The UH-72A is based on Eurocopter's EX145 multi-role helicopter. As part of EADS North America's expansion of its industrial presence in the U.S., the company has established a full-scale production capability for the Lakota at its American Eurocopter facility in Columbus, Mississippi.
"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," said EADS North America Chairman and CEO Ralph D. Crosby, Jr.
EADS North America has been delivering UH-72As since late 2006.
