Electra has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the U.S. Army to drive forward the research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems (HEPPS). The agreement strengthens the ongoing collaboration between Electra and the Army, with the objective of exploring how hybrid-electric propulsion can enhance operational effectiveness across current and next-generation military aircraft platforms.
Central to the contract is Electra’s EL9, a nine-passenger ultra-short takeoff and landing (Ultra-STOL) aircraft currently under development. The EL9 builds on the company’s groundbreaking EL2 prototype, which has already demonstrated ultra-STOL performance—achieving takeoffs and landings in less than 150 feet. Designed to operate from tight, rugged spaces the size of a soccer field, the EL9 reimagines contested logistics by offering quiet, helicopter-like deployment with the performance and range of a fixed-wing platform.
“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,” said Donn Yates, Vice President of Government Programs at Electra. “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.”
Under the 18-month agreement, Electra will carry out a broad scope of activities, including trade studies, operational analysis, modeling and simulation, as well as flight testing and evaluation—all aimed at maturing HEPPS technologies and assessing their real-world application. The programme is expected to yield vital test data and insights to guide future Army decisions on propulsion systems for vertical and fixed-wing aircraft.
Electra has emerged as a leader in hybrid-electric aviation, having flown one of the world’s only clean-sheet hybrid-electric aircraft. In a milestone moment in December 2024, Electra flew the NASA Administrator aboard its EL2 aircraft—the first time a U.S. government agency head flew as a passenger on an electric aircraft. These and ongoing developments reinforce Electra’s commitment to dual-use technologies, with the EL9 poised to meet both civil and military mission requirements.
To date, the Army has awarded Electra six contracts supporting various facets of Ultra-STOL aircraft development, signalling a growing trust in Electra’s technology and its potential to transform tactical mobility and energy efficiency in military aviation.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: ELECTRA AERO
