NEWS | UH-72A Lakota in US US Army Aviation

US Army to receive Turbomeca’s 10,000th Arriel Production Engine






Turbomeca, October 27, 2011 - Turbomeca (Safran group) is proud to deliver its 10,000th Arriel production engine, which will power a United States Army UH-72A Lakota helicopter. During a ceremony at the Turbomeca USA site today, Olivier Andriès, Turbomeca Chairman & CEO and Russ Spray, Turbomeca USA President & CEO, presented the United States Army a commemorative plaque to mark this event. Accepting on behalf of United States Army was Mr. Randy Harkins, PEO Aviation Chief of Staff and Lieutenant Colonel David Bristol, UH-72A Lakota Program Manager.

ADS North America was awarded the United States Army’s Light Utility Helicopter contract in 2006 for 345 UH-72A Lakota twin-engine helicopters powered by Turbomeca’s Arriel 1E2. Today, 454 Arriel 1E2 engines have been delivered on schedule for the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Lakota. The U.S. Navy has purchased five additional Lakotas for their Test Pilot School.

“I am honored that our 10,000th Arriel engine will power the U.S. Army Lakota helicopter. This engine is produced at our Grand Prairie, Texas facility with manufacturing of some key components from Turbomeca Manufacturing in Monroe, North Carolina. We thank the U.S. Army who put their confidence in the Arriel engine for their demanding missions. Contributing to their complete satisfaction is always our top priority.” says Olivier Andriès.

“I am extremely proud of the Light Utility Helicopter team, and I congratulate them on this important milestone,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby, Program Executive Officer for Army Aviation. “Your dedication to excellence has supported our nation’s homeland defense and security and has provided our Army and National Guard units with a very capable light utility helicopter — all on cost and on schedule.”

All 700 UH-72A engines are produced and tested at the Turbomeca USA facility located in Grand Prairie, Texas. Russ Spray said that “The fact that Turbomeca USA engines power several United States government helicopter platforms attests to the power and reliability of our engines. In addition to the US Army, the Department of Homeland Security is also our customer, as the Arriel engine powers the U.S. Coast Guard’s HH-65C and MH-65D helicopters.”

Arriel: 10,000 engines, 32 million hours flight

With over 60% global market share in its power segment (from 700 to 950 shp), today, the Arriel is the engine of choice of 1,300 customers in 110 countries. Since 1977, the Arriel engine has been significantly contributing to the helicopter industry. Amongst them: the Eurocopter Ecureuil, Dauphin, EC130, EC145 and EC155, the Sikorsky S-76 and the Agusta A109 K2, as well as the AVIC AC312 and AC311.

The Arriel has proven its reliability in a wide variety of demanding missions, including EMS, SAR, utility and offshore operations, powering the most famous names in the worldwide helicopter manufacturing industry.

Turbomeca continues development of the Arriel family with new technology and has introduced the new Arriel 2+ engine offering lower operating cost and higher reliability and performance.

The Arriel engine logged world records in altitude and speed. Amongst them, the first landing on the top of the world (Mount Everest, 8,850 m / 29,035 ft) in 2005.


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UH-72A Lakota in US US Army Aviation




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