The US Air Force just spent an enormous amount on eVTOL jets from the future
Published on Aug 02, 2023 at 5:09 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Aug 02, 2023 at 5:09 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The US Air Force has just signed up to buy a bunch of Midnight eVTOLs from Archer Aviation.
The $142 million deal will include six of Archer’s Midnight eVTOL – ‘electric vertical takeoff and landing’ aircraft.
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“This historic agreement reflects the steadfast commitment by our Armed Forces to embrace the cutting-edge technology our eVTOL aircraft offer,” CEO of Archer, Adam Goldstein, said.
The US military says it plans to use the Midnight for “rapid response” missions and rescue operations.
The Midnight is a powerful aircraft too.
It’s expected to be capable of transporting over 1,000 pounds.
It’s also designed to do back-to-back 20-mile trips with a charge time of just 10 minutes.
Its 2,000 feet cruising altitude and 12 small propellors (instead of one giant rotor) also mean the sound of an electric motor is only 45 decibels by the time they reach civilians – or the enemy – on the ground.
That’s 1,000 times quieter than a helicopter.
Don’t expect to see any of these aircraft anytime soon though.
While the company unveiled its five-seat Midnight electric air taxi last November, Archer is hoping to certify Midnight with the Federal Aviation Administration by the end of 2024.
The craft will then form a part of its urban air mobility network – a kind of urban air taxi service – launching in 2025.
Colonel Tom Meagher, the lead for AFWERX Agility Prime programs said “eVTOL aircraft represent the cusp of the third revolution in aerospace, and these aircraft and their descendants will drive advances in capabilities and efficiency”.
“Our contracts with Archer Aviation provide the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force the opportunity to play a role in ensuring from the onset, and as the technology evolves, that we unlock the many benefits these aircraft have to offer the U.S. military,” he said.
A new government advisory board, hosted by six senior retired leaders from different branches of the U.S. military, was recently assembled by Archer.
The goal was to allow the company to “more fully engage with U.S. government and public safety agencies to explore opportunities to commercialize its eVTOL aircraft”.
The company also recently hired former acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Billy Nolen, as its chief safety officer.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
