Eurocopter wins US Army LUH competition

In a stunning move the US Army has announced the Eurocopter UH-145 as its choice for the new LUH requirement.

Based on the EC-145 it has beaten off the challenge of the Bell 412EP and the MDH MD900 Explorer for the $3bn contract for up to 345 helicopters, breaking the long standing Sikorsky/Boeing duopoly in this area.

Who knows, maybe the USAF tanker deal isn't as cut and dried as I thought?

The team promoting the UH-145 consisted of a large number of US domestic firms, including Sikorsky who, unusually, did not have their own contender and the UH-145 will be built at American Eurocopter's Columbus, Mississippi plant, where it will initially be partially assembled and eventually fully assembled.

civil registered EC-145

Wow, I'm really surprised.

But it's 'the US arm of Eurocopter' isn't it, not quite exports from Europe to the US?
(the US version will be made by a mainly US-based consortium?)

Even so I admit I'm very surprised.

Such an arrangement is the best Europe is ever going to get so it is still very positive news for the so called 'two way street' which, in practice has been anything but.

Even the Harrier and Canberra were built in America, and the Hawk

Originally posted by waynos
Such an arrangement is the best Europe is ever going to get so it is still very positive news

- Don't get me wrong Waynos, I do agree.

for the so called 'two way street' which, in practice has been anything but.

Even the Harrier and Canberra were built in America, and the Hawk

- It's just that what boils down to a 'better than nothing' is a hell of a long long way short of cooperating/partners/shared values/support for/valued allies etc etc and all the other guff which merely tries to sugar coat the gross inequity of it all (and there have been plenty in the US quite literally outraged that 'we' get what little 'we' ever do get.....I fully expect large protests on this one too).

Well if 'we' buy their F-35's and C-17's and 'they' buy our UH-145's, VH-71's and KC-30''s they have nothing to complain about, surely?

That is one ugly helicopter. I wonder how (if at all ) it will be armed.

When Europe first at Heav'n's command
Arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain;

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

The nations not so blest as thee,
Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;
While thou shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

Still mor majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,
All their attempts to bend thee down
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

To thee belongs the rural reign;
They cities shall with commerce shine;
All thine shall be the subject main,
And every shore it circles thine.

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

The Muses, still with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair;
Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,
And manly hearts to juide the fair.

Rule, Europa! Europa, rule the waves:
Europeans never will be slaves.

en.wikipedia.org...

PS. Good move EADS

Changing one word does not an original work make.

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[edit on 7/7/2006 by Mirthful Me]

It looks like a Little Bird that underwent extensive re-engineering.

It's still pretty to me, I think it's great that the US is going to buy something from outside instead of making it themselves.

Shattered OUT...

Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Well, it is still a good thing to happend, and who would have believed that USA buys something they can make themselves.

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Well, it is still a good thing to happend, and who would have believed that USA buys something they can make themselves.

Me, they have bought liscences to other craft in the past, Canberra, harrier, I'm sure Waynos knows alot more. But, I know what you mean.

Shattered OUT...

Originally posted by ShatteredSkies02

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Well, it is still a good thing to happend, and who would have believed that USA buys something they can make themselves.

Me, they have bought liscences to other craft in the past, Canberra, harrier, I'm sure Waynos knows alot more. But, I know what you mean.

Shattered OUT...

The US has often procurred foreign equipment, although the biggies (in cost and prestige) tend to go to US companies, which is why the air refueling contract will not go to Europe, but stay with Boeing!

Some examples...

Harrier - Britain
T45 Goshawk - Britain
Canberra - Britain
Firearms, such as HK M5, MK23, FN SCAR and several others
L44 smoothbore - Germany
Embraer - Brazil
US101 - The President's new chopper with metric measurements!
Alenia C27 - Italy
BROACH warhead - Britain etc
M777 howitzer - Britain
Electrnics and components, such as

I am sure the list is pretty long. It should be noted that the French are probably the nation least likely to purchase from abroad.

Regards

Originally posted by waynos
Such an arrangement is the best Europe is ever going to get so it is still very positive news for the so called 'two way street' which, in practice has been anything but.

Even the Harrier and Canberra were built in America, and the Hawk

Yes, the American Hawk the T-45 Goshawk, you tell me something Waynos, in my book it says that the (British) Hawk has a top speed of 1010 km/h, could our Hawks possible be a bit faster, because our air-force home apge say it can go mach 1.2??

mach 1 = 100km/h

The Hawk airframe is stressed to go m=1.2 in a shallow dive but the max level speed is 620mph for the T.1 (ie RAF trainer and Finnish version plus others) and 645mph for the Hawk 100 & 200 Combat capable versions with higher power engine.

The T-45 also has this higher power Adour but is also a lot heavier due to the deck landing capability so its speed is back to the 620mph of the original versions.

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Not on here it wasn't, everyone was too busy with Airbus' woes and it got rather overlooked.

"I come here to bury EADS, not to praise them"


[edit on 11-7-2006 by waynos]

I do remember, i sat in the car with my family comwing home from the north and they said it on the news...

Eurocopter makes an excellent product. We fly the BK-117 at work. I have no doubt it will be a good fit for the US Army. Perhaps Bell et al. thought the homefield advantage would be all they needed, and EC came in and underbid them.

Perhaps this is a preemptory move to soften the blow of the Tanker contract? If the A350/A370 gets traditonal "Launch Aid" then you can stick a fork in the KC330 cause its done.

Originally posted by waynos

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Not on here it wasn't, everyone was too busy with Airbus' woes and it got rather overlooked.

"I come here to bury EADS, not to praise them"

[edit on 11-7-2006 by waynos]

Not true, I was the first to post it here.

www.abovetopsecret.com...'

Originally posted by FredT
...
Perhaps this is a preemptory move to soften the blow of the Tanker contract? If the A350/A370 gets traditonal "Launch Aid" then you can stick a fork in the KC330 cause its done.

Or maybe its the other way around... "See, the LUH is proof that we actually don´t have anything against Eurotech... but in this case we simply liked Boeing better for their tankers..."

yes, true actually

Originally posted by PopeyeFAFL

Originally posted by waynos

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wasn't this in the news two weeks ago.???

Not on here it wasn't, everyone was too busy with Airbus' woes and it got rather overlooked.

"I come here to bury EADS, not to praise them"

[edit on 11-7-2006 by waynos]

Not true, I was the first to post it here.

www.abovetopsecret.com...'

Thats the weaponry forum, not this one, isn't it. I said 'not on here', I didn't say ' not on ATS'.