Awarded $1.9M To Advance R&D On Powertrain, Power, Propulsion

Electra announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Army to leverage its development and testing expertise in advancing research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems, or HEPPS.

The Army intends to utilize Electra’s technical leadership for the development and testing to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of current and future Army aircraft platforms.

As part of the contract, Electra will conduct a thorough series of activities related to technology maturation and risk reduction for hybrid-electric propulsion for its EL9 aircraft. The EL9 is a nine-passenger Ultra-STOL aircraft currently in development. The results of these test data and analyses will inform the Army’s understanding of the benefits, tradeoffs, and operational procedures associated with hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

Donn Yates, Vice President of Government Programs at Electra said, “This work gives the Army a clear path forward in understanding how hybrid-electric technologies can support real operational demands, while enabling entirely new logistics capabilities. Electra’s hybrid-electric Ultra-STOL aircraft redefines what’s possible for Army Aviation with its ability to operate from small, rugged sites, reduce fuel demand, and increase flexibility for the commander.”

To provide maximum value to the Army, Electra will perform six core tasks that include a trade study, operational analysis, modeling and simulation, flight test, and evaluation for HEPPS technology maturation over an 18-month duration.

The flight performance of Electra’s EL2 prototype aircraft has already validated ultra-short takeoffs and landings in less than 150 feet. This enables the ultra-STOL aircraft to deploy in soccer field-size spaces to execute logistics and support agile basing in contested environments.

FMI:  www.electra.aero/