ARLINGTON, VA, Nov 12 (MARKET WIRE) --
EADS North America has delivered the first of five H-72A training
helicopters for the U.S. Navy today, marking a new milestone in the
company's production of multi-role helicopters for U.S. military services.
The H-72A fleet will be based at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at
Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., where it is to be used to train
test pilots from the U.S. military and allied countries. The H-72A shares
the same airframe and is manufactured on the same production line as the
U.S. Army's UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter -- both of which are
produced in Mississippi by EADS North America's American Eurocopter
subsidiary.
"Not only is this the first H-72A we've built for the U.S. Navy -- it's
our first helicopter produced specifically to fulfill a training mission
within the U.S. armed forces," said EADS North America Chief Operating
Officer Dave Oliver. "The expansion of UH-72A/H-72A missions demonstrates
the adaptability of the aircraft to a wide range of operational scenarios.
We're certainly proud that a new generation of test pilots will be trained
using these highly reliable and versatile helicopters."
The Navy's H-72As have several specific equipment additions for their
pilot training mission -- including jettisonable cockpit doors, a cockpit
voice and flight data recorder, a main rotor blade folding kit and an air
traffic advisory system. All five H-72As will be configured in the Naval
Test Pilot School's high-visibility white and orange paint scheme.
Derived from Eurocopter's proven EC145 multi-role helicopter, the Navy
H-72As and Army UH-72As are among the most versatile and reliable
helicopters in their class. They are equipped with a modern glass cockpit,
and their high-set main and tail rotors provide unparalleled safety,
access and space utilization.
The Army plans to acquire 345 UH-72As through 2016 in addition to the five
H-72As being acquired on behalf of the U.S. Navy.
In addition to the current production of H-72As and UH-72As, EADS North
America is offering the Armed Scout 645 variant for the U.S. Army's armed
aerial scout requirement.
About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)
EADS North America is the North American operation of EADS, a global
leader in aerospace and defense. As a leader in all sectors of defense and
homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS,
contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more
than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services.
Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of
advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security,
aerospace and defense markets.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
TIM PAYNTER
Senior Manager
Corporate Communications
EADS North America
Tel: 703-236-3300
E-mail: Email Contact
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