Electra has tested its EL2 ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) prototype aircraft for a Pentagon event focusing on expeditionary capabilities.
The three-day, invitation-only field activity saw the system perform live overflights with low acoustic signatures across multiple intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) simulations.
It confirmed the platform’s noise level of about 55 decibels at 500 feet (152 meters) compared to 75 decibels produced by traditional turbine planes at the same altitude.
The EL2’s hybrid-electric range and payload performance were also demonstrated for medical and casualty evacuations in addition to ISR scenarios.
‘Novel’ System
Electra’s latest flight trial follows an event in September to validate the STOL’s effectiveness for logistics applications in remote locations without ground support.
The aircraft is planned to be adopted into the recently-announced EL9, which will have a 600-kilowatt mobile power generator that provides continuous power and over one-megawatt short bursts with no charging or infrastructure required.
In January 2023, the Electra received a US Air Force award to develop the STOL’s pre-production airframe based on the existing prototype for military applications.
“The EL2 aircraft’s participation … demonstrated Electra’s ability to create a novel, dual-use, logistics-enabling aircraft that is also capable of quiet, expeditionary operations,” US Air Force AFWERX Test and Evaluation Chief Hank Griffiths commented about the latest test.
“The next step is to demonstrate how these capabilities can scale with their 9-passenger aircraft.”
Electra said that the EL9 system’s maiden flight and US Federal Aviation Administration certification are scheduled for 2027 and 2029, respectively.
To date, there are 2,100 orders of the aircraft from 52 international customers.