EADS North America is the U.S. holding company for the North American activities of EADS, the world’s second largest aerospace and defense company, and the largest in Europe. EADS North America's UH-72A Lakota program has completed a highly successful year, making on-time or ahead-of-schedule deliveries of 16 operationally-ready Light Utility Helicopters for deployment with U.S. Army units across the country. Over 150 skilled jobs have been created in the Golden Triangle region of Mississippi by American Eurocopter helicopter activity, including the UH-72A program, underscoring EADS North America's ability to create high-value employment with its U.S. industrial presence.

This new Mississippi facility will be used to test development and prototype jet engines for performance, noise, validation of safety systems and other factors. Initially, it will test the company’s latest, high-thrust Trent engines, the Trent 1000 and Trent 900, being developed for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380, respectively. Work is expected to begin at the site in the second half of 2007. There are only three such testing facilities in the world.