First we were told that it was a light weight utility helicopter that the US Army and National Guard needed for homeland security missions.
Now we're seeing it upgraded with what I consider to be almost combat kit. Will someone tell me again what the UH-72 is for again.
This is from EADS.
The first flight of the UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) equipped with the Security and Support Battalion (S&S Battalion) Mission Equipment Package (MEP) occurred in June at the company’s American Eurocopter facility in Columbus, Miss.Excuse me. But I have seen multi-million dollar command and control vehicles with the FBI, ATF, State and Local Police Agencies, FEMA and practically the whole host of alphabet soup departments in the US government. Now the Army and National Guard need additional recon and Command and Control assets?
The S&S Battalion MEP will greatly expand the Lakota’s use for reconnaissance, command and control and air movement operations in support of U.S. homeland defense and security missions with the U.S. Army National Guard.
The maiden flight with this mission package on a UH-72A version represents another milestone in the Lakota’s highly successful development for the U.S. Army and also demonstrates EADS North America’s ability to evolve complex systems to meet warfighters’ mission needs.
“This is a very significant milestone in the maturation of the UH-72A Lakota for the U.S. Army and National Guard user,” said EADS North America COO David R. Oliver. “The fleet of Lakota aircraft is approaching 40,000 flight hours and as the Army continues to fly Lakotas they’re realizing the versatility and reliability of the aircraft. The S&S Battalion first flight illustrates the continued expansion and validation of the Lakota’s capabilities.”
Ok, enough of the non-sense, what's going on with this program.
As long as the Lakota stays within CONUS, it'll do fine as a C2 aircraft, and a good replacement for the many UH-1s and selected H-60s.
ReplyDeleteBut it's unsat for overseas (combat) duty. It is and always will be a LIGHT utility helo, and dressing it up with all kinds of kit and armor will turn it into a ground-hogging turtle.
It's a good helo, but mission and capability creep is a killer.
Wasn't this meant to be a long term replacement for the Kiowa's? Now I'm confused...either they are following a plan or they are being wasteful as usual
ReplyDeleteexactly. this money would have been better spent on fewer but more capable UH-60's.
ReplyDelete"What's going on with this program?"
ReplyDeleteExactly what was always planned. The S&S Battalion variants are to replace the OH-58A/C in the Guard's Reconnaissance and Interdiction Detachment (RAID) role, as was always planned. I suppose you could throw 60 Mikes at the RAID mission, but that would be overkill in this tax-payer's opinion.
I'll try not to bite on Marcase's lure, suffice to say that any Lakota variant "dressed up with kit and armor" to do a non-CONUS, non-permissive environment mission (e.g. AAS) would get the systems needed to do the job, just as the KW ditched the 58's original 317shp engine for something for suitable. Damn. Guess I bit, didn't I?