Today, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense announced the UH-72 Lakota fleet surpassed 1.5 million flight hours with U.S. Army, U.S. Army National Guard, and U.S. Navy.

“This milestone is an incredible achievement for the Lakota fleet and reflects its impressive reliability over the past 18 years,” said Robert Geckle, Chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense. “Having reached the one million flight hour milestone less than three years ago, this number is indicative of Lakota’s value as a staple of the U.S. military that is multi-mission capable, reliable, and affordable.”

With nearly ten different configurations, the Lakota provides unmatched versatility; more than 480 Lakota helicopters have been delivered to date.

Today, Army, Navy, and Army National Guard units use Lakota helicopters to perform essential training and real-world missions year-round across 50 U.S. states and territories.

Airbus delivered the first Lakota helicopter to the U.S. Army in 2006, and currently supports a fleet of 223 UH-72As that serve as the primary training helicopters for the service. 212 UH-72A and 18 UH-72B Lakota aircraft support Army National Guard operations including counter drug, search and rescue, and disaster response, among others. The helicopters are used at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School to teach aviators rotary wing flying characteristics and test procedures.

“Our aircraft has proven its value to the U.S. Army and Navy by performing a range of important and often overlooked missions and will continue to deliver as needed for years to come,” said Didier Cormary, Head of Military Helicopter and Uncrewed Systems for Airbus U.S Space and Defense. “This milestone is a testament to the many U.S. military veterans who built the helicopter and take pride in supporting the aviators who serve our nation at home and abroad.”

Approximately one-third of the workforce in Columbus, Mississippi, who build and deliver the Lakota are veterans.