EADS NA gets Lakota option

The U.S. Army awarded EADS North America a $181.8 million contract option for 34 more UH-72A Lakota helicopters, bringing the total aircraft ordered to 312. Army plans call for buying 347 Lakotas through 2016. EADS North America has delivered 243 Lakotas from its American Eurocopter plant in Columbus, Miss., where up to five per month are produced. (Source: EADS North America, 11/14/12) Gulf Coast note: American Eurocopter is part of EADS North America, the U.S. subsidiary of EADS. Another EADS company, Airbus Americas, plans to build a $600 million A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala.