Fri, Dec 05, 2025
Electra Defense Will Focus On EL9 Ultra-STOL Aircraft For Remote Access
Electra announced the launch of a new business unit focusing on the needs of military defense missions, “Electra Defense,” that will develop the EL9 ultra-STOL, dual-use, nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft for the U.S. military.
The EL9 has the ability to take off and land in spaces as short as 150 feet, enabling it to access helicopter-sized areas in remote or austere environments while also providing the safety, cost, and long-range benefits of fixed-wing aircraft.
Electra Defense will leverage the growing global demand from militaries for long-range solutions that don’t rely on runways to conduct distributed operations. This capability relieves some of the demand for larger airlift assets such as the C-17 and C-130.
The EL9 can carry 1,000 lb over 1,000 nm and generate 600 kW of expeditionary power for the needs of ground forces in austere or remote locations. This represents a set of next-generation capabilities for mobility and special operations forces.
Donn Yates, Vice President & General Manager of Electra Defense said, "The military can no longer solely rely on trucks or helicopters to conduct logistics missions over long distances, and we need to preserve the efficiency of existing airlift assets. The multi-mission ultra-STOL EL9 is the sprinter van of the skies, enabling the military to execute agile combat employment to deliver people, power, and payloads at the last tactical leg. We look forward to continuing our work with our government partners to deliver this aircraft ahead of the threat.”
ELECTRA LOGOGen. (Ret.) Doug Brown, Co-Chair of the Electra Advisory Board explained, “The EL9’s ability to take off and land from ships and runways as short as 150 ft mitigates the scarcity of available runways in contested environments. Should a conflict break out in the Indo-Pacific, long-range runway-independent airlift is needed to support ACE and counteract the inevitable targeting of runway infrastructure.”
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