Electra Defense has received a $4.7 million research and development contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to evaluate hybrid-electric aircraft technology for military applications. Announced Monday, the agreement will support ground and flight testing of propulsion systems and aircraft performance as the Air Force examines potential uses for Electra’s nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short aircraft.
Testing Military Applications
Under the contract, Electra will conduct ground testing of the EL9 preproduction aircraft and acoustic flight testing to evaluate battery-only operations for low-noise missions. The program will also use modeling and simulation to assess the aircraft’s potential for transporting personnel and cargo to locations lacking conventional runway infrastructure. Electra said the results will help the Air Force evaluate the technology for distributed logistics and other military operations.
“This award represents an important step in demonstrating how hybrid-electric aircraft technology can address some of the Air Force’s most pressing operational challenges,” said Donn Yates, vice president and general manager of Electra Defense, in Monday’s announcement. “Power and propulsion are fundamental to unlocking new capabilities for military aviation.”
Previous Air Force Testing
Electra’s two-seat EL2 demonstrator participated in the Air Force’s Future Flag exercise in 2025. Those tests examined short-field operations, tactical airlift and hybrid-electric power generation.
The larger EL9 remains under development and is designed to take off and land in as little as 150 feet using distributed electric propulsion and blown-lift technology. Electra has previously outlined plans to begin EL9 flight testing in 2027 as it works toward FAA certification. The company has also continued civilian demonstrations using its smaller EL2, including an October flight from a Manhattan heliport.
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