The UH-72 Lakota helicopter is a light utility aircraft that performs a number of different tasks for the U.S. military.

Multiple Missions

The UH-72 helicopter is manufactured by Eurocopter. It is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC-145 aircraft. The UH-72 is a twin engine helicopter with a single four-bladed main rotor. The UH-72 was selected to be the new light utility helicopter of the U.S.

Army in 2006 and entered active service in 2007. The U.S. Army has ordered nearly 350 UH-72 Lakota helicopters to replace its aging fleet of UH-1H and OH-58A/C helicopters that had been widely used by the Army and National Guard.

The UH-72 Lakota helicopters are designed to undertake multiple missions. These range from medical evacuations to personnel recovery and drug enforcement. Since entering service with the U.S. Army, the UH-72 helicopters have been primarily used for domestic operations within the United States. However, some of the aircraft have been stationed abroad in Puerto Rico and Germany.

Problems and Crash

The UH-72 Lakota helicopters have experienced some problems since entering active duty. The aircraft have been found to overheat during operations in hot, dry dessert environments. The U.S. Army has responded to this problem by equipping some of the helicopters with air conditioning units and door vents that enhance cabin air flow.

In December 2010, a UH-72 Lakota helicopter was involved in a fatal crash in Puerto Rico.

The aircraft was being used by the Puerto Rico National Guard when it crashed at sea off the country’s coast killing all six crew members onboard. As of 2011, there were no fatal crashes of the UH-72 Lakota helicopter reported with the U.S. Army or U.S. National Guard.

Each UH-72 Lakota helicopter has a crew of two pilots and can carry up to eight additional soldiers as passengers. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of nearly 8,000 pounds and a maximum speed of about 170 miles per hour. As of 2011, the U.S. Army had taken possession of approximately 140 UH-72 Lakota helicopters, or about half the initial order. The military in France is also using the UH-72 Lakota helicopter for multiple missions.