Electra.aero has secured a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Army to advance hybrid-electric powertrain and propulsion systems. The 18-month agreement aims to support Army aviation modernization efforts by leveraging Electra’s leadership in hybrid-electric flight.
As the military shifts focus toward contested logistics and operations in austere environments, hybrid-electric systems offer several advantages. These include reduced fuel dependency, quieter operations, enhanced mobility, and the ability to generate power on the move, all critical for future battlefield and disaster response scenarios.
The award will fund research and development of Electra’s hybrid-electric power, propulsion, and control systems, with a specific focus on the EL9, a nine-passenger ultra-short takeoff and landing (Ultra-STOL) aircraft currently under development.
Contract to support EL9 development
Under the agreement, Electra will carry out a detailed set of technology maturation and risk reduction tasks. These include trade studies, flight tests, modeling, simulation, and operational analysis.
The U.S. Army intends to evaluate the tactical benefits, fuel savings, and operating procedures of hybrid-electric propulsion systems across a range of potential use cases.
“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 EL9 platform is designed to operate from short, rugged airstrips and provide mobile power in austere environments.
The aircraft combines fixed-wing efficiency with vertical-like access, offering commanders greater operational flexibility. Its dual-use nature makes it attractive for both military and commercial roles.
The EL9 builds on Electra’s EL2 demonstrator, one of the world’s few clean-sheet hybrid-electric aircraft. Flight tests of the EL2 validated ultra-short takeoffs and landings in under 150 feet. These tests confirmed the aircraft’s ability to deploy in tight spaces, including areas as small as a soccer field.
The EL9’s quiet operation and hybrid-electric power system are expected to support contested logistics, agile basing, and missions in constrained environments.
It also retains the safety and range advantages of fixed-wing aircraft while reducing fuel demand.
In December 2024, Electra flew NASA Administrator Bill Nelson aboard the EL2, marking the first time a head of a U.S. government agency had flown in an electric aircraft.
The flight underscored the maturity of Electra’s hybrid-electric platform and its visibility at the federal level.
Army collaboration continues to grow
The Army has now awarded six contracts to Electra, demonstrating growing interest in its Ultra-STOL technology. These contracts span multiple phases of research and support the ongoing development of the EL9 platform.
Alongside the Army collaboration, Electra recently announced a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works.
The companies plan to explore EL9 integration into Department of Defense programs and allied use cases. The partnership will focus on digital engineering, advanced manufacturing, and global deployment strategies.
With this latest contract, Electra continues to position itself at the forefront of hybrid-electric aviation, offering a potential leap forward in logistics and mobility for U.S. defense forces.