Aircraft
Electra's Hybrid-Electric STOL Demonstrator Flies in Pentagon Exercise
Ultra short landing and takeoff performance could support military applications
Electra.aero EL2 technology demonstrator
Electra's EL2 technology demonstrator short takeoff and landing aircraft took part in the U.S. Department of Defense's Thunderstorm 24-4 exercise in early November. © Electra.aero

Electra.aero recently demonstrated its EL2 hybrid-electric demonstrator STOL aircraft as part of the Pentagon’s Thunderstorm 24-4 “expeditionary operations” technology showcase exercise. On November 26, the U.S. company confirmed its participation in the three-day event that was held near Fredricksburg, Virginia, earlier this month.

Thunderstorm 24-4 was sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Electra’s two-seat EL2 model, which is being used to develop the nine-seat EL9 aircraft, has already participated in three other U.S. government flight demonstrations in 2024. These included short takeoff and landing demonstrations at the Marine Corps Air Facility in Quantico, Felker Army Airfield at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, and NASA’s Langley Research Center.

In this article