Turbomeca (Safran group) reported the delivery of its 10,000th Arriel production engine, which will power a United States Army UH-72A Lakota helicopter. During a ceremony at the Turbomeca USA site, Olivier Andriès, Turbomeca Chairman & CEO and Russ Spray, Turbomeca USA President & CEO, presented the United States Army a commemorative plaque to mark this event.
EADS North America was awarded the United States Army's Light Utility Helicopter contract in 2006 for 345 UH-72A Lakota twin-engine helicopters powered by Turbomeca's Arriel 1E2. Today, 454 Arriel 1E2 engines have been delivered on schedule for the U.S. Army's UH-72A Lakota. The U.S. Navy has purchased five additional Lakotas for their Test Pilot School.