Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Mississippi , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Helicopters (including UH-72 Lakota) |
| Owner | Airbus Group |
| Parent | Airbus Group |
The Airbus Helicopters (previously known as Eurocopter) UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine rotorcraft featuring a single main rotor with four blades. This model is a military adaptation of the Eurocopter EC145 and is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, a subsidiary of the Airbus Group. Since its debut in 2006, several hundred units have been deployed.
Originally introduced under the name UH-145, it secured the United States Army Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) contract on 30 June 2006. Later that year, in October, American Eurocopter was awarded a contract to supply 345 helicopters aimed at replacing the aging fleets of Bell UH-1H/V and Bell OH-58A/C helicopters utilized by the US Army and Army National Guard. The UH-72 primarily undertakes non-combat tasks such as logistics support, homeland security operations, disaster relief, and medical evacuation within the United States. This allocation allows more advanced helicopters like the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk to focus on combat missions. Additionally, it functions as a training platform for helicopter pilots.
In the 2020s, the enhanced UH-72B variant entered operational service, featuring upgrades such as a unique ducted tail rotor and a five-blade main rotor system. Renowned for its cost efficiency in both acquisition and operation, deliveries have consistently met budgetary and scheduling targets. Experimental trials included an unmanned version, and an armed scout variant was proposed for the U.S. Army's Armed Aerial Scout program before its cancellation in 2014 due to budget constraints. By 2022, production numbers exceeded 460 units across both A and B versions.
Background
The U.S. Army launched the LHX initiative in the early 1980s, envisioning two helicopter variants sharing many dynamic components: a light utility model ("LHX-U") intended for troop transport and cargo movement, and a light scout/attack model ("LHX-SCAT") designed to complement the AH-64 Apache. The utility variant was eventually discontinued, with focus shifting solely to the scout/attack design that evolved into the RAH-66 Comanche.
In 2004, the Department of Defense canceled the RAH-66 program but retained allocated funds originally designated for it.<ref> To substitute for the Comanche’s capabilities, the Army planned multiple programs involving three new aircraft types: the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and what became known as the Future Cargo Aircraft (later renamed Joint Cargo Aircraft, JCA). These platforms were to be based on existing commercial designs adapted for military application.
LUH Program and UH-145
The LUH program commenced in 2004 with an objective to acquire 322 helicopters tailored for homeland defense, logistical support, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), and other support roles. The 2005 solicitation attracted at least five contenders including Bell’s 210 and 412 models, MD Explorer, AgustaWestland AW139, and EADS North America’s UH-145, derived from the EC 145. On 30 June 2006, the Army selected the UH-145 under a $3 billion contract; it was redesignated as UH-72A in August of that year. Although protests from competitors caused a four-month delay, initial deliveries proceeded on schedule by December. The helicopter was named Lakota, following traditional Army naming conventions.
Full-rate production approval came on 23 August 2007 for an initial batch of 345 aircraft through to 2017.<ref> Manufacturing takes place at Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Initial assembly incorporated kits from Eurocopter Deutschland but transitioned to complete local production by 2009.<ref> In December 2009, an additional order for 45 UH-72As was placed.<ref> The milestone of delivering the 100th Lakota was reached in March 2010,<ref> followed by the 250th unit in April 2013.<ref> Procurement paused after fiscal year 2014 due to budget reductions; by then a total of 312 helicopters had been ordered.<ref> In January 2014, Congress approved $171 million funding for another 20 UH-72As,<ref> with delivery of the 300th aircraft occurring in May that year.<ref>
In May 2013, Congressional inquiries questioned why the UH-72 was not being considered for armed scout roles. Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno explained that the UH-72A was designed specifically for domestic missions and is not intended for deployment into combat zones. It primarily supports utility functions within the US Army National Guard, thereby freeing up UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for overseas operations.<ref> On 21 June 2013, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Frank Kendall stated that fleet-wide combat upgrades were currently "unaffordable," estimating costs around $780 million overall with additional expenses per helicopter. Proposed enhancements included survivability features, reinforced engines and drivetrains, external lighting systems, and improved communications equipment.<ref>
Trainer utilization
Since 2009, the U.S. Navy has incorporated multiple UH-72A helicopters alongside the TH-67 Creek fleet at the Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS), replacing the older TH-6 Cayuse model. In 2011, these UH-72As received advanced avionics upgrades designed to improve training effectiveness for students.
In December 2013, the U.S. Army evaluated plans to retire its OH-58 Kiowa helicopters and reassign all Army National Guard and Reserve AH-64 Apaches to active duty scout roles. This strategy involved converting all 100 active-duty UH-72s and 104 National Guard UH-72s into training aircraft, thereby substituting the Bell TH-67 Creeks at the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence located at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Concurrently, some UH-60 Black Hawks were slated for transfer to Reserve and Guard units to support homeland defense and disaster response missions. These initiatives aimed to phase out aging platforms, reduce operational expenses, and sustain mission readiness. Consequently, the Army sought funding to acquire an additional 100 Lakotas for training purposes; the fiscal year 2015 budget covered 55 units, with the remaining ordered under fiscal year 2016 appropriations.
On September 4, 2014, the Army announced intentions to procure up to 155 UH-72 helicopters for training through a non-competitive acquisition process. AgustaWestland legally contested this decision, asserting that their EC145 model provided superior value and a wider flight envelope. Airbus defended its selection by referencing previous contract awards and operational deployment. Bell Helicopter voiced objections but did not initiate legal proceedings. In October 2014, a Federal Claims Court issued a temporary injunction halting UH-72 purchases pending further justification from the Army. The court ultimately ruled against the Army’s sole-source procurement rationale, citing procedural deficiencies and mandating either a competitive bidding process or suspension of UH-72 acquisitions for training roles. The Army appealed this decision and prevailed in 2018, enabling continued Lakota procurement. The final TH-67 trainer was officially retired in 2021.
Despite its widespread use, the UH-72 has attracted criticism as a training platform due to its elevated cost and questions regarding its appropriateness. A study by the National Commission on the Future of the Army characterized it as financially prohibitive compared to more economical alternatives and noted that instructor pilots considered it "excessive aircraft for the mission," rendering it unsuitable for initial training phases. Additionally, it was faulted for lacking capabilities such as touchdown auto-rotation maneuvers essential for pilot instruction. Comparable concerns led both the German Army and U.S. Navy to reject it as a primary trainer. By 2024, merely three years after supplanting the TH-67, the U.S. Army was actively investigating alternative aircraft to replace the UH-72 in training due to cost inefficiencies and operational complexity.
Potential applications
The Armed Scout 645 (EC645) represented a proposed armed variant of the UH-72 intended for the U.S. Army's Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) program aimed at replacing the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. In May 2009, EADS partnered with Lockheed Martin on this initiative. Three "AAS-72X" demonstrators were constructed and underwent flight testing starting in late 2010. By September 2012, EADS conducted voluntary demonstrations of both the AAS-72X and EC145 T2 models, reportedly achieving targeted performance metrics. Two configurations were offered: the AAS-72X (an armed version of the UH-72) and AAS-72X+ (an armed militarized EC145T2). The AAS program was ultimately discontinued in late 2013.
In May 2012, the UH-72A was proposed for consideration under the U.S. Air Force’s Common Vertical Life Support Platform (CVLSP) program as a successor to the UH-1N Twin Huey. The UH-72A provides approximately 30% improvements in speed, range, endurance, enhanced reliability, crashworthiness features, night vision compatibility, state-of-the-art avionics, and reduced operating costs. It supports missions within permissive environments such as ICBM site security under Air Force Global Strike Command and personnel transport conducted by Air Mobility Command’s 89th Airlift Wing. Despite these advantages, in August 2013 the USAF planned to continue operating the UH-1N for an additional six to ten years due to budgetary limitations. In September of that year, EADS North America advocated expedited procurement of UH-72As to mitigate long-term expenses and risks, emphasizing that acquisition costs were comparable to upgrading existing Hueys but offered lower lifecycle costs.
In April 2024, Airbus introduced the UH-72B Unmanned Logistics Connector (ULC), an unmanned adaptation of the UH-72B designed as a logistics platform for both the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and U.S. Army. This concept addresses USMC aerial logistics requirements in the Pacific theater associated with Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations while also fulfilling Army demands for vertical takeoff and landing logistics aircraft following cancellations of other programs. A scale model was presented at the Sea Air Space exposition in April 2024. Carl Forsling, Airbus US Space & Defense Business Development manager, indicated potential deployment by the late 2020s as an affordable and low-risk solution. Senior director Craig Dupuy highlighted strong interest driven by value proposition and cabin capacity, positioning uncrewed logistics platforms as a significant future opportunity.
The UH-72B ULC is capable of transporting up to 4,000 pounds of Joint Modular Intermodal Containers along with Naval Strike Missile containers and additional cargo payloads.
Design
The original UH-72 variant is equipped with a conventional tail rotor, a four-blade main rotor, twin engines, and rear clam shell doors for access. The enhanced B-model introduces a five-bladed main rotor, a fenestron (ducted fan) tail rotor, upgraded avionics systems, and more robust engines.
Engineered to fulfill a variety of roles—including general support, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), personnel recovery, and counter-narcotics operations—the UH-72 serves as a replacement for earlier light utility helicopters such as the UH-1 and OH-58A/C. Its primary operator is the Army National Guard, where it performs domestic missions. Acquired as a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution, the UH-72 benefits from streamlined logistics support. EADS North America collaborates with Sikorsky to deliver Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) via Helicopter Support, Inc. (HSI) and Sikorsky Aerospace Maintenance (SAM).
The UH-72A is essentially a civilian EC145 helicopter customized with U.S. Army paint schemes and fitted with an AN/ARC-231 radio. It can be configured for multiple uses including utility transport, MEDEVAC, VIP transport, security operations, and adversary training. Recognized as the Army’s leading aircraft for domestic tasks, the Army National Guard utilizes it for state assistance, disaster response, homeland defense, while non-deployed active units employ it in MEDEVAC and training roles. Compared to the UH-1 Huey it replaces, the twin-engine Lakota offers higher cruise speeds (145 knots versus 124 knots), an external hoist system, and a fully integrated digital cockpit. Although the Huey can accommodate three patients during MEDEVAC missions compared to the Lakota’s two-patient capacity, most evacuations typically involve two or fewer patients.
The UH-72A’s Security & Support Mission Equipment Package (S&S MEP) supports homeland security, counter-narcotics, and border patrol operations. This package includes an electro-optical/infrared sensor turret with laser designation capability, a moving map system featuring touch-screen interfaces, video management and recording systems with datalink functionality, a searchlight, and the rescue hoist derived from the MEDEVAC configuration.
The UH-72B incorporates improvements drawn from the civilian EC145 platform such as a fenestron tail rotor design, more powerful engines controlled by fully automated FADEC systems to enhance engine management and minimize hot start risks, along with advanced avionics that expand its operational effectiveness.
Operational history
The US Army accepted delivery of the first UH-72A on 11 December 2006 in Columbus, Mississippi. The following day, General Richard A. Cody, then Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, alongside Joe Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux Tribe formally accepted the aircraft. The Army planned to procure 345 units through 2017.
Production helicopters were initially deployed in January 2007 at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California for medical evacuation duties. On 20 June 2007, the NTC's US Army Air Ambulance Detachment became the first operational unit to utilize the Lakota. Subsequently in July 2007, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Flight Detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia became the second unit to receive it.
An August 2007 assessment by the Operational Test and Evaluation Directorate (DOT&E) acknowledged the Lakota’s proficiency in light utility roles but identified overheating problems during desert operations at Fort Irwin due to lack of air conditioning. To address this, ventilation was improved by adding vents; some Medical and VIP models were later equipped with air conditioning to enhance crew comfort.
In September 2007, the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana received their initial aircraft. By January 2009, the United States Military Academy replaced two UH-1H helicopters with two UH-72As for VIP transport and cadet training purposes. The United States Naval Test Pilot School acquired its first UH-72A in September 2009 to replace the TH-6B Cayuse as its main helicopter trainer.
By March 2010, Lakotas had been deployed to locations including Puerto Rico, Kwajalein Atoll, and a US Army missile testing range in Germany. On 20 December 2010, a Puerto Rico Army National Guard UH-72A crashed at sea causing six fatalities—the first fatal accident involving this helicopter model.
In July 2012, three UH-72As were delivered to the US Army's Aviation Flight Test Directorate at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama for general support and flight testing; by this time over 200 units had been delivered. In September 2012, the Oregon Army National Guard received its initial four UH-72As at Camp Rilea.
Airbus completed assembly of the first UH-72A tailored specifically for training purposes in March 2015. This variant includes an instructor observer seat, distinctive markings, and upgraded flight control systems compatible with Fort Rucker operations. As part of an aviation restructuring plan, Fort Rucker intends to replace its fleet of TH-67 trainers with a total of 187 UH-72s—comprising 106 newly built trainers and 81 modified existing aircraft.
By 2017, Airbus had delivered 400 UH-72As to the US Army on schedule and within budget from its Mississippi manufacturing site that employs approximately 40% veterans.
In 2018, the 1–376th Aviation Battalion deployed UH-72As to Germany supporting MEDEVAC missions based at Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr—marking the Lakota’s inaugural overseas deployment.
During the 2020s, introduction of the upgraded UH-72B began into service featuring enhancements such as a fenestron tail rotor design, more powerful engines with FADEC controls, and state-of-the-art avionics systems.
Export
On 7 June 2013, Thailand placed a request for six UH-72A Lakota helicopters, including associated equipment, training, and support, valued at approximately $77 million. Subsequently, on 9 October 2013, the Thai government authorized $55 million to facilitate the Royal Thai Army's procurement of these aircraft between 2013 and 2015. Airbus Helicopters secured a $34 million contract on 28 March 2014 to supply six UH-72As outfitted with mission-specific systems such as the AN/ARC-231 radio; deliveries commenced by April 2015. By November of that year, the full complement of six helicopters had been delivered.
Later, on 29 September 2014, Congress received notification regarding Thailand’s interest in acquiring an additional nine UH-72 helicopters along with related equipment and support services.
Variants
- UH-72A Lakota
- Military utility helicopter variant of the EC 145, configured without armaments.
- UH-72B Lakota
- An advanced iteration of the UH-72A derived from the civilian H145 model, featuring a Fenestron enclosed tail rotor, a five-bladed main rotor system, upgraded engines with greater power output, improved flight control systems, and the Airbus Helionix avionics package. Deliveries to the Army National Guard began in September 2021.
- UH-72B Unmanned Logistics Connector
- A proposed unmanned version intended for the United States Marine Corps and United States Army, designed to autonomously conduct logistical missions in contested areas. As of June 2025, this variant is anticipated to enter service by the late 2020s under the designation MQ-72C.
- AAS-72X
- An armed reconnaissance and multi-role helicopter concept developed by EADS and Lockheed Martin for the US Army’s Armed Aerial Scout program (which was ultimately cancelled). It featured two external weapon stations, a turret-mounted sensor suite for enhanced vision capabilities, and compatibility with C-17 transport aircraft.
- AAS-72X+
- A further enhanced armed military version based on the EC145T2 tailored for the Armed Aerial Scout initiative. It incorporated engines with an additional 200 shaft horsepower each, a fenestron-shrouded tail rotor, and a fully digital glass cockpit.
Operators
- Royal Thai Army
- United States Army – Operating 457 UH-72A and 18 UH-72B Lakotas as of January 2025
- United States Navy