Army awards five-year UH-72A logistics support contract worth nearly $1 billion to Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters Inc. has been awarded a Contractor Logistics Support contract by the U.S. Army to provide spare parts, material and engineering support for the Army’s UH-72A Lakota fleet of utility and training helicopters.

The contract includes a base year and four one-year options, with a potential five-year value of more than $967 million. Airbus Helicopters Inc. will provide the support at Army and National Guard bases in 43 states as well as in Kwajalein, Guam, Puerto Rico and Germany. The U.S. bases include Fort Rucker in Alabama where the UH-72A is operational as the Army initial-entry training helicopter. An initial contract installment of $17.4 million has been exercised.

The CLS contract with the Army is one of the largest performance-based support contracts managed by Airbus Helicopters worldwide. The new agreement is a follow-on contract to successful completion of 10 years of CLS support by Airbus Helicopters Inc. During that 10-year period, Airbus Helicopters Inc. has consistently performed on time, on budget and exceeded contract requirements for parts fill rate. 

“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,” said President Chris Emerson. “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.”

“We are honored that the U.S. Army has chosen to renew its support & services contract with Airbus Helicopters Inc.,” said Matthieu Louvot, Executive Vice President Customer Support & Services of Airbus Helicopters. “This contract underscores how Airbus can provide the highest service level to deliver the fleet availability rate required by the demanding missions of the U.S. Army. “ 

Management of both UH-72A production and logistics is conducted out of the company’s headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas, with production performed in Columbus, Miss.

To date, 393 UH-72As have been delivered to the Army and are in use in support of vital missions including training, air medical transport, and search and rescue, with Army National Guard units flying Lakotas in support of Customs and Border Protection operations on the Southwestern border. The Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Md. operates five Lakotas and the Royal Thai Army six.

The Army has contracted for 423 Lakotas, including those for the Naval Test Pilot School and the Royal Thai Army.

The UH-72A is one of just four helicopter models the Army will operate for the foreseeable future. The Lakota platform is a highly capable, commercial-off-the-shelf twin-engine aircraft with modern glass-cockpit, flight control, and navigation systems. The Lakota is the Army’s lowest cost twin-engine helicopter to buy, own and operate, and has a mission availability rate of more than 90 percent.