EADS North America’s first UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter (LUH) equipped with the security and support (S&S) battalion mission equipment package (MEP) has entered operational service with the Mississippi National Guard’s Company C, first of the 114th security and support battalion.

This first S&S battalion UH-72A Lakota was built and retrofitted in Columbus, Mississippi, by the company’s American Eurocopter business unit. The UH-72A Lakota is one of the US Army’s most successful acquisition programmes and is repeatedly recognised by DoD officials for its on-time and on-budget deliveries.

The S&S battalion MEP is the latest operational evolution of the UH-72A Lakota and provides National Guard units with the ability to seamlessly interface with and support federal, state and local law enforcement and first responders during disasters or emergencies.

The mission equipment package includes an electro-optical infrared sensor with a an eight-kilometre range that provides still imagery and real-time streaming video to ground stations or command centres, while an onboard computer can archive the footage for later use by law enforcement. Mission performance is augmented with enhanced radios, touchscreen monitors, GPS with street address capability and a 30 million candle power search light.

Lakotas equipped with the S&S Battalion MEP will be operated by Army National Guard units across the country and will soon enter operational service with units in Louisiana, Florida and North Carolina. Currently 69 of the 100 anticipated S&S Battalion MEP installations are on contract. Fifty-two of the 68 S&S Lakotas on contract will be built with the MEP integrated during production, and 16 Lakotas already in service with the Army National Guard will be retrofitted at the company’s American Eurocopter facility in Columbus, Mississippi. In addition, the S&S MEP prototype was delivered and fielded to the National Guard unit in Tupelo, Mississippi.