EADS demonstrates helicopter

NASHVILLE, April 20 (UPI) -- EADS North America is conducting flight demonstrations of its Armed Aerial Scout 72X helicopter at the Nashville International Airport in Tennessee.

The demonstrations this week coincide with the Army Aviation Association of America annual conference and exhibition.

"EADS North America and its Armed Scout team has achieved every milestone we've set in developing a highly capable helicopter that will meet the Army's armed aerial scout mission," said EADS North America Chief Executive Officer Sean O'Keefe.

"Bringing one of our three technical demonstrator aircraft to Nashville enables Army leadership and aviators to see and experience these accomplishments first-hand."

EADS and its industry team of American Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin, have made a significant investment in the development of three AAS-72X Technical Demonstrator Aircraft, which are being used to conduct parallel development and risk-reduction activities and to demonstrate the aircraft's increasing level of capability and technical maturity.

The AAS-72X demonstration aircraft, based on the EC145 commercial helicopter platform, is equipped with a Mission Equipment Package that includes a chin-mounted turret with integrated targeting sensor, manned/unmanned teaming capability, communications suite and weapons.

The technical demonstrator made its first flight last December and is being used to validate the AAS-72X's ability to meet the U.S. Army's armed aerial scout mission requirements.

EADS said the company in 2009 had conducted high/hot hover-out-of-ground-effect, endurance and payload testing and the aircraft operated successfully at 6,000 feet and 95-degree density altitude.

The team also conducted a key transportability test when five militarized EC145 aircraft were successfully loaded in a C-17 transport aircraft.