Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a $220.5 million contract to produce UH-72A Lakota helicopters at its Lowndes County plant.
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss) announced Friday that the Army had approved the contract, which calls for 41 Lakotas to be built at the Airbus plant in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park. Cochran is chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
“The Lakota helicopters have proven to be effective and affordable aircraft for the Army and the highly capable workforce in the Golden Triangle Region contributes to the success of this procurement program,” Cochran said in a statement. “The award of this contract is good news for both the Army and Mississippi.”
The Lakotas have a completion date slated for July 2017, according to Cochran.
Congress approved $401.6 million overall to procure additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters in the FY2015 omnibus appropriations bill, which was signed into law in December, according to Cochran.
In addition to being used for military missions, Lakotas are used to support disaster response, border protection and pilot training.
Airbus, an aircraft manufacturer, operates a 350,000 square foot plant in Lowndes County, where it assembles helicopters.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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