Airbus to retrofit US Army National Guard Lakotas
The US Army has awarded Airbus a $27.8 million contract to upgrade a Mission Equipment Package (MEP) on behalf of the Army National Guard (ARNG)
The contract will support the modernization of the ARNG’s UH-72A Lakotas, allowing its Security and Support Battalion to conduct better day and night operations for a range of missions, including ‘Homeland Security, reconnaissance, and search and rescue’.
Airbus confirmed that the contract will cover the retrofit of up to 50 of the battallion’s aircraft deployed throughout the US.
The package will see the helicopters fitted with an ‘advanced moving map, enhanced digital interfaces, new monitors, an airborne mission management system, and other system improvements’, Airbus said.
Airbus will upgrade the UH-72A Lakotas at its helicopter production facility in Columbus, Mississippi.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.