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| UH-72A Lakota (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By AARON MEHTA
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has cleared the sale of six UH-72A Lakota helicopters to Thailand, marking a potential first international sale of the EADS-designed platform.
The potential sale, worth an estimated cost of $77 million, was announced June 21 on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States, by helping to improve the security of a friendly country which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in Southeast Asia,” the announcement read.
“This proposed sale will contribute to Thailand’s goal to upgrade and modernize its military forces with a new light utility helicopter capable of meeting requirements for rotary-wing transportation, while further enhancing greater interoperability between Thailand the U.S., and among other allies. Thailand will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.”
“This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.”
Since EADS began producing the Lakota in 2006, the company has delivered over 260 of the helicopters to the US Army and National Guard for use in a wide variety of missions, including search and rescue, homeland security, and MEDEVAC.
Read the full story at DefenseNews