Airbus U.S. Space & Defense has been awarded a $323.7 million contract modification to provide logistics support and engineering services for the UH-72 Lakota helicopter fleet through December 2026. Work will be carried out in Grand Prairie, Texas, with $100.1 million in fiscal 2026 Army funds allocated at the time of award.
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense has received a $323.7 million contract modification to continue providing logistics support and engineering services for the U.S. Army’s UH-72 Lakota helicopter fleet, according to a recent contract notice.
The modification, designated P00214 under contract W58RGZ-22-C-0022, covers ongoing sustainment work for the Lakota platform, which the Army uses extensively for training, medical evacuation, and domestic response missions. The award was issued to Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc., based in Arlington, Virginia.
Work under the contract will be carried out in Grand Prairie, Texas, with completion expected by December 31, 2026. At the time of award, $100,084,643 in Fiscal 2026 Army operation and maintenance funds were obligated. The contracting activity is the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
The UH-72 Lakota, a militarized version of the Airbus H145, serves as the Army’s primary light utility helicopter. It supports initial entry rotary-wing training, aeromedical evacuation, and civil authority operations, including disaster relief and homeland missions. The helicopter has been in Army service for nearly twenty years.
The contract modification emphasizes logistics support and engineering services, which are critical to maintaining fleet readiness and safety. This includes sustainment planning, technical assistance, and system-level engineering to ensure aircraft remain operational across multiple Army installations.
The award coincides with a major operational milestone for the Lakota fleet. Airbus U.S. Space & Defense reported that the U.S. Army’s UH-72 fleet at Fort Rucker, Alabama, the Army’s primary aviation training center, has surpassed one million flight hours.
Didier Cormary, vice president and head of Military Helicopter and Uncrewed Systems at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, stated, “Our aircraft continues to prove its value to the U.S. Army. Achieving this milestone reinforces why the Army chose the Lakota – superior safety, training versatility, highest availability across the fleet, and lowest cost to maintain.”
Cormary also acknowledged the workforce behind the program, adding, “Our success is a testament to the many U.S. military veterans who built the helicopter and take pride in supporting the aviators who serve our nation at home and abroad.”
The Army has emphasized the UH-72’s role in reducing operating costs and relieving pressure on frontline combat helicopters. By assigning non-combat missions and training tasks to the Lakota, the service preserves more complex and costly aircraft for operational deployments.
Sustainment contracts like this one are central to that strategy. Engineering services address wear-and-tear from high flight-hour operations, especially in training environments, while logistics support ensures a steady supply of spare parts, technical data, and maintenance planning to minimize aircraft downtime.
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