Columbus Commercial Dispatch
Airbus celebrates new Army contracts
By Alex Holloway
State and national leaders gathered at Airbus' Lowndes County facility on Friday to celebrate hundreds of millions of dollars in new contracts for the company to build dozens of helicopters for the U.S. Army.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), one of the main speakers at Friday's event, said the company has received more than $500 million in contracts to build 71 helicopters.
On March 8, the Army awarded Airbus a $273 million contract for 35 UH-72A "Lakota" helicopters. Wicker said the Army awarded an additional $116 million contract on March 23 for 16 more Lakotas, and when U.S. President Donald Trump signed the 2018-19 Fiscal Year omnibus spending bill on March 23, it included another $200 million for 20 more Lakotas.
"This is good for the industrial base," Wicker said. "This is good for the Golden Triangle. This is good for Mississippi. This is good for American manufacturing because many states will participate in this."
Airbus President Chris Emerson said the contract is good for about two and half years of production for Airbus, and about three years for suppliers, who have longer production lead times.
"I am overwhelmingly proud of the men and women here in Columbus, Mississippi who build these helicopters," Emerson said. "I think 10, 12 years ago, no one would have believed we'd be where we are today. We are building one of the most advanced commercial and now Army helicopters in the world, and we do it on time, on cost and on budget.
"This is something all of the men and women and women here in Mississippi can be very proud of," he added.
The new contract comes after the expiration of a 10-year contract from 2006-16 that was worth more than $1 billion, Emerson said. The facility has delivered 423 Lakotas already.
Emerson said the Lakotas are not designed for combat deployments, but can be used to support humanitarian missions, and serve a wide range of uses for the National Guard and law enforcement agencies.
U.S. Army Col. Billy Jackson said the helicopters, which are the primary training aircraft for the U.S. Army, will support rotary aircraft training at Fort Rucker in Alabama. He said some will also be sent to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, to support observer controller operations.
"We're trying to build the Army back up -- to build capabilities," Jackson said. "Our warrant officers are the primary pilots for the Army fleet. They're getting older and starting to retire. We need to replenish those officer (ranks) with new, young officers. This Lakota platform is part of that strategy.
"This aircraft will likely be in the fleet an additional 30 years supporting that mission," Jackson later added.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant also spoke at Friday's event. Bryant said he could remember doubts about whether Mississippi and the Golden Triangle could support companies like Airbus.
"Now there were challenges," Bryant said. "There were people who thought, 'Maybe in some other state. Maybe Texas can do that, and maybe Georgia. But this is Mississippi. Can we find the workforce?'
"Oh yes, we can find the workforce," he continued. "The workforce that's here today and makes the Lakotas makes the most advanced, and I think, the best helicopters in the world."
Newly-appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R-Mississippi) lauded the work of Airbus' employees, and said they're an example of what makes Mississippi workforces special.
"I cannot say more about the employees here, and the pride of ownership and building this aircraft," she said. "Industry and commerce in Mississippi is so bright from one end of the state to the other. Mississippi is an amazing place, but it has a lot of amazing people and good leadership, and we're reaping the benefits of that."
Emerson said 200 people work at the Lowndes County factory. He said that facility supports up to four times that many jobs through the supply chain.
The Columbus facility also produces two civilian helicopters -- the H125 and H130.
"This is a great day," Emerson said. "It's been years coming and I'm just really happy for the men and women here. It's job security, but more than that, it's recognition of a job well done."