Free Republic

Farnborough: MD's ‘sham’ claims stall work on EADS UH-145 LUH helicopter contract, as US congress investigates deal By Paul Derby in Farnborough The US Army’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) contract, awarded to EADS North America last month, has been suspended while the country's contract investigation body examines a formal protest by losing MD Helicopters that brands the army’s pricing analysis “a total sham”. The US Government Accountability Office (formerly the General Accounting Office, GAO), is the investigative arm of Congress charged with examining government contracts. It has imposed a 90-day freeze, which is a legal requirement under the procurement process...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Friday said it chose French-German defense company EADS to build a new fleet of 322 light utility helicopters in a deal expected to be worth up to $3 billion over the longer term. It marks the first major U.S. defense contract won by the North American unit of EADS, and comes as EADS prepares to bid against No. 2 U.S. defense contractor Boeing Co. for an even bigger contract to build hundreds of new aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force. Analysts said the Army deal could also help EADS win more...