Electra completes Air Force Future Flag 25-3 tests with Ultra-STOL and hybrid-electric aircraft
Questions and Answers:
What is Electra’s EL2 Ultra-STOL aircraft? The EL2 is a prototype ultra-short takeoff and landing aircraft that demonstrates hybrid-electric power and tactical airlift capabilities.
What was Future Flag 25-3? Future Flag is a U.S. Air Force experimentation series to accelerate development and demonstration of new operational capabilities, including government-directed tests and operational scenarios.
What is the EL9 aircraft? The EL9 is a nine-passenger Ultra-STOL aircraft under development by Electra, designed for tactical airlift, medical transport, and other multi-mission applications.
MANASSAS, Va. - Electra.aero, Inc. in Manassas, Va., announced that it has completed its participation in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Future Flag 25-3 test event in Rome, N.Y., which took place in late August and early September. Future Flag is an experimentation series designed to accelerate the development, demonstration, and fielding of innovative capabilities for the U.S. Air Force. Future Flag 25-3 included government-directed tests and operational scenarios to evaluate Electra's ultra-short takeoff and landing (Ultra-STOL) capabilities, as well as its hybrid-electric power generation capabilities.
Electra’s EL2 USTOL prototype aircraft participated in the tests, demonstrating potential applications from ground-based power to medical transport and forward resupply. Electra was the only industry participant in the event, which included multiple Air Force units such as the New York Air National Guard 174th Attack Wing, providing personnel and technology support.
The tests marked a milestone under the Strategic Funding Increase awarded to Electra by the U.S. Air Force's AFWERX to develop, test, and demonstrate hybrid-electric aircraft. They highlighted the novel operational capabilities of hybrid-electric aircraft and the potential military utility of Electra's EL9, a nine-passenger Ultra-STOL aircraft currently in development.
"Future Flag was a prime opportunity to test and evaluate the practical and transformative capabilities developed with the support of AFRL and AFWERX," said Donn Yates, Electra's vice president of government programs. "From ground-based power to medical transport to forward resupply, our Ultra-STOL aircraft delivers an array of multi-mission applications that our warfighters need. We were thrilled to showcase them with our government partners during Future Flag 25-3."
Electra’s Ultra-STOL aircraft also flew alongside the New York Air National Guard 109th Airlift Wing and the Connecticut Air National Guard 103rd Airlift Wing as part of an operational scenario. The company demonstrated tactical airlift capabilities to inform the concept of operations for the EL9.
"Working with our Air National Guard partners, the scenarios we executed are a concrete demonstration of how Ultra-STOL aircraft can augment existing platforms and fill an important gap in existing tactical airlift capabilities," Yates said.
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