UTTC Blesses New Lakota Helicopters | Video

Joel Porter | 9/4/2012

The newest North Dakota National Guard helicopter will bear the namesake of a longtime Native American tribe. This afternoon, tribal leaders at United Tribes Technical College blessed two UH-72A Lakota helicopters.

The choppers will be used mainly for civil search and rescue missions as well as surveillance. The Lakota will replace the Iroquois and Kiowa helicopters.

Tribal leaders also hung an eagle and hawk feather in each cockpit.

"It`s something that signifies a warrior going into battle as well. And so, the honoring and the placing of these feathers is very sacred, let`s put it that way," UTTC president Dr. David Gipp said.

The North Dakota National Guard is expected to have four of the Lakota helicopters in its inventory by the end of 2013.

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