Aircraft
U.S. Navy Assesses Electra eSTOL Aircraft for Ship-based Operations
The Army and Air Force are also eyeing the hybrid-electric aircraft
Electra's two-seat eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft
Electra is already test flying a two-seat technology demonstrator version of its hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft.

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.

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