Image of Electra’s EL9 aircraft in military style livery. Image: Electra
Electra has received a small research contract from the Army to mature hybrid-electric propulsion systems the company is developing for its ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft to advance the technology, and reduce risks, for Army aviation.
The 18-month $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract supports research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems, Electra said on July 1. Under the award, Electra will conduct a trade study, operational analysis, modeling and simulation, flight-test, and evaluation.
The Northern Virginia-based startup is developing the technology for its blown-lift EL9, a nine-passenger aircraft that is in development and slated to begin flight-testing in 2027. Electra is also targeting military logistics uses in space austere environments given its expected capability to take-off and land in less than 150 feet from unimproved surfaces.
“This work gives the Army a clear path forward in understanding how hybrid-electric technologies can support real operational demands, while enabling entirely new logistics capabilities,” Donn Yates, Electra’s vice president of government programs, said in a statement. “Electra’s hybrid-electric Ultra-STOL aircraft redefines what’s possible for Army aviation with its ability to operate from small, rugged sites, reduce fuel demand, and increase flexibility for the commander.”
The latest contract builds on six previous research and development awards by the Army to Electra to advance the Ultra-STOL aircraft.
The Army is also assessing hybrid-electric technology for vertical takeoff and landing uses. In 2024, the service issued a Request for Information indicating its interest in the technology for lowering fuel consumption, decreased acoustics, high-speed cruise, and low-speed loiter.
Electra has previously flown its EL2 Ultra-STOL prototype, demonstrating takeoffs and landings in less than 150 feet.
A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.