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Electric-air taxi developer Joby Aviation has joined forces with L3Harris Technologies to explore a new class of gas-turbine hybrid VTOL aircraft for defense use. This advanced platform, based on Joby’s S4 tilt‑prop eVTOL, will be optionally piloted, capable of both crewed and fully autonomous low-altitude missions.
The collaboration blends Joby’s aircraft development and hybrid propulsion capability with L3Harris’s sensor, communications, and mission‑system expertise. Flight tests are planned for fall 2025, with operational military demonstrations in 2026.
The platform is designed for contested logistics, electronic warfare, and counter‑UAS operations, enabling long-range “crewed‑uncrewed teaming.”
Joby’s founder and CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, emphasized a decade of collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense to mature their dual-use technologies and hybrid powertrain prototypes capable of extended operational range, including a 561-mile hydrogen-electric demonstration flight in June 2024.
This marks a significant step in adapting advanced air mobility tech for military applications, reflecting rising demand for autonomous, hybrid aircraft in global defense circles.
Source: Business Wire via Aviation Week/Reuters