The AgustaWestland/L-3 Communications US139 was the proposal entry for the US Army LUH programme. It was defeated by the Eurocopter UH-145 a version of its EC145 which was named UH-72A Lakota
09-Feb-06 - AgustaWestland reported the 8th of February that their US139 aircraft, recently offered to fulfill the US Army¹s requirement for a new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), has arrived at Cairns Army Airfield in Fort Rucker, Alabama for the LUH Source Selection Performance Demonstration (SSPD). The US139 flew from AgustaWestland facilities in Philadelphia, PA to Cairns Army Airfield, a 780 nautical mile flight.
21-Dec-05 - AgustaWestland reported on 20th of December that their US139 aircraft, recently offered to fulfill the US Army requirement for a new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), has been completely fitted in LUH configuration and completed its initial series of flights in preparation for the Source Selection Performance Demonstration. Flying out of AgustaWestland facilities in Philadelphia, PA on December 8, 2005, the US139 flew LUH mission profiles, including disaster relief and recovery simulations. "We are extremely pleased and excited by the US139 performance in its first flight in full-up LUH configuration," said Stephen C. Moss, chief executive officer of AgustaWestland North America. "We see it as a demonstration of what we already knew the US139 is ready to meet the demands of the mission and represents the clear best choice for the Army LUH requirement.
03-Oct-05 - AgustaWestland, Inc. (AWI), headquartered in Reston, Virginia and L-3 Communications Integrated Systems (L-3/IS) of Waco, Texas, have announced their partnership and product entry in the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) competition at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual meeting in Washington D.C. Prime contractor AWI and principal partner L-3/IS will offer the US139 to the Army for LUH. The US139 is a customized, non-developmental variant of the modern, FAA certified, AB139 twin-engine helicopter now in service worldwide. It has the most spacious, functional and flexible cabin in its class, capable of carrying 15 passengers or 4 stretchers with 6 passengers. The US139 is capable of cruising in excess of 165 knots with a useful load of more than 6,000 lbs “ designed from its inception as the replacement to the UH-1 "Huey."
