EADS to Build 3 Armed Aerial Scout 72X TDA

(Arlington, Virginia, April 15, 2010) -- EADS North America and its industry team of American Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will independently fund and develop three AAS-72X helicopters to demonstrate the performance, capabilities and maturity of this rotary-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army's Armed Aerial Scout mission.

The first AAS-72X Technical Demonstration Aircraft (TDA) will be operational in late 2010, and will be used for mission equipment and weapon system integration, performance testing and survivability validations.


"This commitment is a significant investment and continues our entrepreneurial approach to meeting our customers' demanding needs. These aircraft will ensure the AAS-72X provides a fully capable, compliant Armed Aerial Scout solution for America's warfighters at the earliest possible date," said EADS North America CEO Sean O'Keefe. "It is part of a low-risk approach that combines mature, developed technologies with the proven UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter - which is in widespread service with the U.S. Army."

Source : European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. (Paris: EAD.PA)