US Navy selects Electra to design ship-based eSTOL logistics aircraft

The U.S. Navy has awarded Electra.aero Inc. a contract under the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to explore the use of Electra's electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft as a next-generation aviation solution for logistics in a contested environment.

In this study, Electra will work with Navy stakeholders to define specific contested logistics use cases and conduct a conceptual design study to evaluate how its hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft can address unique Navy capability gaps. Contested logistics, a key topic of national security interest, essentially refers to the movement of military personnel or supplies to and from areas which are challenging to reach or support.

"We're honored to add the U.S. Navy to our portfolio of U.S. Department of Defense customers, including the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army," said Ben Marchionna, Electra's Director of Technology and Innovation. "Electra's eSTOL has all the right technology-enabled capabilities to help the Navy address next-generation aviation logistics challenges. With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough soccer field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one. Beyond boilerplate tactical logistics use cases, we also see this airplane as an enabler for expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and even as an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment. These are all gamechangers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps."

Electra.aero is building clean, hybrid-electric, short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) airplanes that fly people and cargo quieter, further, and more affordably. Electra's technology delivers 2.5x the payload and 10X longer range with 70% lower operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives with far less certification risk. Electra's team includes some of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in novel aircraft design, with over 40 prior aircraft successfully developed and/or certified. Its technology development is supported by Lockheed Martin Ventures, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), Statkraft Ventures, and other private investors in addition to contracts with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Navy.