Vietnam interested in US UH-72A Lakota helicopter?
The UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter is considered one of the bright candidates to replace the aging UH-1 Huey.
Currently, the Vietnam People's Air Force is still maintaining a fleet of light multi-purpose helicopters UH-1 with a number of more than 12 aircraft. These are spoils of war captured after 1975 and are very old, the technical coefficient is no longer the same as the original even though it has been modernized.
Vietnam is said to be looking for a light helicopter capable of replacing the UH-1 because Russian helicopters such as the Mi-8/17 are much larger and quite cumbersome, not suitable for the role of landing troops, this has been commented by pilots of both types of vehicles.
Among the candidates being considered, the UH-72A Lakota is considered to have very high potential. Recently, the US Army posted a photo of a Vietnamese military delegation visiting this vehicle, showing that the interest is real.
|
| The Vietnamese military delegation took a photo next to the UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter. |
The UH-72A Lakota, manufactured by Eurocopter's US subsidiary, has been selected as the new light utility helicopter for the US Army and National Guard, replacing the UH-1H/V and OH-58A/C.
The first UH-72A was delivered to the US Army in 2006, with the country expected to order a total of 345.
Basic specifications of UH-72ALakota: Crew of 2; length 13.03 m; main rotor diameter 11 m; height 3.45 m; empty weight 1.79 tons; maximum take-off weight 3.58 tons.
The aircraft is equipped with two Turbomeca Arrius 1E2 engines with a capacity of 551 kW (738 horsepower) each, for a maximum speed of 268 km/h, a ceiling of 5,480 m, a range of 685 km, a maximum load capacity of 1,790 kg or to transport 9 soldiers with full weapons and equipment.
|
| The UH-72A Lakota utility helicopter is being used in large numbers by the US Army Air Force alongside the UH-60 Blackhawk. |
In addition to the transport-troop carrier variant, the UH-72A Lakota also has an armed version, the AAS-72X, equipped with machine guns, rockets, and anti-tank missiles for reconnaissance missions as well as fire support for infantry.
Thanks to its advantages such as high flexibility, extreme reliability in operation and maintenance, combined with the powerful weapons, the UH-72A Lakota helicopter proves to be a bright candidate to replace the UH-1s that are about to retire.
With the increasingly tight defense relationship, the prospect of the UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter soon appearing in the S-shaped strip of land is considered quite bright.
