The AAS-72X, an armed derivative of the Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter manufactured by the company’s American Eurocopter business unit, has completed the majority of its militarization requirements in a company-funded development effort that began in 2009. Developed from a family of proven multi-mission helicopters, it is being employed worldwide in armed reconnaissance, MEDEVAC, law enforcement and other utility missions. The AAS-72X will leverage the UH-72A Lakota, which is being fielded in increasingly large numbers for the U.S. Army’s Light Utility Helicopter mission. EADS North America’s AAS-72X is a low risk, highly capable and best-value solution to rapidly meeting the U.S. Army’s capability gap in aerial reconnaissance and security during combat operations in current and future conflicts. It is based on the popular Eurocopter EC145 commercial rotary-wing airframe, which also serves as the platform for EADS North America’s highly successful UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter – which the company is delivering to U.S. Army and Army National Guard units.
The AAS-72X will be produced at American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Mississippi facility where UH-72A Lakotas currently are assembled, building upon a commitment to invest in the U.S. economy and create high-value American jobs. EADS North America and its industry team of American Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin have committed to independently fund and develop three AAS-72X helicopters to demonstrate the performance, capabilities and maturity of this rotary-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army’s Armed Aerial Scout mission.
These helicopter will ensure the AAS-72X provides a fully capable, compliant Armed Aerial Scout solution for America’s warfighters at the earliest possible date.