US Army Places Second Production Order For Eurocopter UH-145 Light Utility Helicopters

Eurocopter, November 09, 2006 - The U.S. Army has ordered 34 additional Eurocopter UH-145 Light Utility Helicopters, bringing the total number of aircraft purchased by the Army to 42. The LUH requirement is for up to 322 helicopters with a potential total program life-cycle value of over $ 2 billion. EADS North America, the prime contractor for the UH-145, was selected by the Army to provide the UH-145 for the Light Utility Helicopter mission requirement on June 30, 2006. The value of the order is $ 170 million.

In addition to the order for 34 aircraft, the Army has placed orders for 6 additional external hoist kits for use on the UH-145, and 6 MEDEVAC “B-kits,” which enables the Army to quickly reconfigure the LUH for medical transport missions from passenger or logistics configurations.

The order exercised by the Army includes contractor supported UH-145 specific pilot transition and maintainer training. The training package selected by the Army also includes the procedural trainer system provided by UH-145 team partner and subcontractor CAE. The pilot familiarization and maintenance training, which will take place at American Eurocopter’s Training Center in Grand Prairie, Texas, will be aligned with the delivery schedule of the UH-145s.

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 13,000 people. In 2005, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, orders for 401 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 16 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 9,500 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,500 customers in 139 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.