The U.S. Navy has tasked Electra with exploring how its in-development eSTOL aircraft might be operated from ships for logistics missions in conflict zones. On April 24, the Virginia-based company was awarded a contract from the Naval Air Systems Command one week after the U.S. Army commissioned it to investigate further military applications for the blown-wing design.
Electra will work with the Navy to define specific “contested logistics” use cases and to conduct a conceptual design study to evaluate how the hybrid-electric aircraft could be operated from the decks of ships. The aircraft, which is intended to carry up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo, is expected to be able to operate with ground rolls as short as 150 feet.
Contested logistics involve the movement of military personnel and supplies to and from areas that are challenging to reach or support. Increasingly, the Pentagon is considering new options for equipping U.S. forces with the capability to respond to new threats and challenges, while also looking to reduce carbon output from flight operations.
“Electra’s eSTOL has all the right technology-enabled capabilities to help the Navy address next-generation aviation logistics challenges,” said Ben Marchionna, the company’s director of technology and innovation. “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.”
According to Marchionna, the aircraft could become a key asset in the U.S. military’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control program. The U.S. Air Force is also evaluating Electra’s eSTOL design.
Electra aims to bring the aircraft to market in 2028 after achieving type certification under FAA’s Part 23 rules. It is now flight testing a two-seat technology demonstrator aircraft as it prepares to start flying a full-scale prototype in 2026.