National Guard to receive four helicopters to replace aging fleet
BY JERRY WOFFORD World Staff Writer
Thursday, January 03, 2013
The Oklahoma Army National Guard will receive four new helicopters this year to replace part of its aging fleet, the guard announced Thursday.
The Oklahoma National Guard will take two of the UH-72A Lakota helicopters in April and the other two in May, the release states. They will replace four OH-58C Kiowa helicopters that have been used by the guard for more than 30 years.
The Lakota is a twin-engine platform with a four-bladed main rotor. It was designed as a light utility helicopter for the U.S. Army and Army National Guard.
The UH-72A will significantly increase the Oklahoma National Guard's ability to conduct emergency support missions, the release states. Its primary missions will include homeland security, disaster-response, fire-fighting command and control and medical evacuations.
Oklahoma National Guard air crews and maintenance personnel are completing training on the UH-72As ahead of their arrival.
