Electra teams with Lockheed Martin to collaborate on dual-use STOL aircraft

Summary points: 

• Strategic Partnership for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft: Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and Electra.aero signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the development of Electra's hybrid-electric EL9 Ultra-STOL aircraft, focusing on engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, sustainment, and global business strategy.

• Commercial and Military Applications: The EL9 is designed to carry 1,000 pounds or nine passengers over 1,000 miles and take off/land in just 150 feet, enabling use in remote or unprepared areas for both defense and commercial operations such as logistics, medevac, and disaster response.

• Expanded Collaboration Builds on Past Investment: The agreement builds on Lockheed Martin Ventures’ 2022 investment in Electra’s Series A funding round and strengthens joint efforts to pursue U.S. Department of Defense and international programs of record.

PARIS - Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division and Electra.aero have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance development of Electra’s hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (Ultra-STOL) aircraft, the EL9, with an eye toward both defense and commercial applications.

The agreement will support collaboration in areas such as digital engineering, manufacturing, supply chain development, sustainment, and global business strategy. The companies also plan to evaluate potential programs of record with the U.S. Department of Defense and international defense customers.

Designed for operations in austere and remote environments, the nine-passenger EL9 is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system that uses a small turbine-powered generator to charge onboard batteries in flight. The aircraft can take off and land in as little as 150 feet, including from unprepared surfaces such as grass or gravel. According to Electra, the EL9 will offer the performance and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft, while delivering the flexibility of a vertical lift platform with significantly lower operating costs and noise levels.

U.S. Navy to explore use of Electra.aero's commercial-focused eSTOL for logistics

Capable of carrying 1,000 pounds of cargo or up to nine passengers over a distance of 1,000 miles, the EL9 is designed for commercial use cases, including regional air mobility, cargo transport, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and emergency medical evacuation. Its ability to operate from parking lots, rooftops, or soccer fields is expected to open new air routes in underserved areas without the need for runways or expensive infrastructure.

"Lockheed Martin's breadth of manufacturing, supply chain, and military customer expertise is the perfect complement to Electra's EL9 commercialization strategy," said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra. "This relationship will accelerate our speed to market to bring the EL9's transformative capabilities to our military customers."

"Electra has driven significant innovation in the hybrid-electric space, and we're excited to collaborate with them to accelerate their development," said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.