Zarvan
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 54,470
- Reaction score
- 87
- Country
- Location
The UH-72A, selected in 2006 by the army, is a light utility helicopter for homeland missions such as VIP transport, search-and-rescue, medical evacuation, border security, and more. Source: Airbus
US Army's fiscal year 2018 (FY 2018) budget request marks return after brief procurement hiatus for EADS North America UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters.
The budget request, released on 23 May, asks Congress for USD108.383 million to buy 13 UH-72As in FY 2018.
In FY 2017 the army did not request any Lakotas and in FY 2016 it only purchased 12 of the 28 aircraft for which it budgeted. It plans to accept "the remaining 16 aircraft deliveries beyond February 2018", the army said in its budget justification.
"I think there is a move afoot here to buy more [UH-72As] than we had initially projected to acquire," Major General Thomas Horlander, director of army budget, told reporters on 23 May at the Pentagon.
Last year the army asked for no funding for its 'administrative' Lakota helicopters. Given its lack of a combat role the army decided to 'accept risk' in the programme in FY 2017 by simply sustaining its current fleet and using that funding for other priorities.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options: ihs.com/contact
To read the full article, Client Login
(191 of 226 words)
http://www.janes.com/article/70750/pentagon-budget-2018-uh-72a-funding-rebounds-with-13-aircraft
