According to Electra, the aircraft is able to operate with ground rolls of 150 feet, capable of carrying up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo, and sports a range of 500 nm.

The company did not announce the contract amount that was awarded under the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) but said it is expected to continue through the end of the year.

“The contract allows Electra to partner with the U.S. Navy and its stakeholders to explore the use cases for Electra’s eSTOL technology, as well as potential aircraft configuration extensions, to enhance the efficiency of delivering military logistics services in environments with minimal infrastructure or other operational challenges,” Electra spokesperson Barbara Zadina told FLYING.

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Nabs $1.9M Army Contract for Electric Aircraft Testing

The contract announcement comes days after the company reported the U.S. Army had issued a $1.9 million contract to experiment with the hybrid-electric aircraft to perform powered wind tunnel testing.

“With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough, soccer-field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one,”  Ben Marchionna, Electra’s director of technology and innovation, said in a statement. 

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Surpasses 2000 Orders for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

In addition to logistic utility, the company said the eSTOL aircraft could also enable expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and potentially serve as an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment.

“These are all game changers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps,” Marchionna said.

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The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all grounded their tiltrotor fleets December 6 amid an investigation into what caused a crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey off the coast of Japan that killed the crew of eight airmen.

Returning the aircraft to service is critical to national defense, officials said.

“Effective March 8, 2024, at 7 a.m. EST, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is issuing a flight clearance for the V-22 Osprey, thereby lifting the grounding,” NAVAIR said in a statement. “This decision follows a meticulous and data-driven approach prioritizing the safety of our aircrews.”

Last month, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said that, while it was known that a materiel failure caused the crash, the cause of that failure has not yet been determined.

• READ MORE: Air Force, Navy Ground V-22 Fleets Amid Crash Probe

In a statement Friday, NAVAIR said it had partnered with the Air Force investigation to identify the materiel failure. “Maintenance and procedural changes have been implemented to address the materiel failure that allow for a safe return to flight,” NAVAIR said.

The Marine Corps has returned MV-22s to flight following the Naval Air Systems Command’s announcement that deemed the aircraft safe to fly, and will now execute a deliberate, three-phase plan to return all MV-22 squadrons to full capability.

Read More https://t.co/RJ2Qz8sGsC

— U.S. Marines (@USMC) March 8, 2024

Following NAVAIR’s bulletin announcing the aircraft’s flight clearance, AFSOC said it was implementing a “multi-phased approach” to returning its fleet back to service.

• READ MORE: Crash Prompts Japan to Call on U.S. Military to Ground Ospreys 

“Phase one of AFSOC’s return to fly plan includes ground and simulator training, integrating planned flight controls, safety briefings, a review of maintenance records, and refining by-squadron training plans to implement the new safety protocols,” the command said in a statement. 

In the second phase, aircrew and maintainers will go through a “multi-month program” focused on aircraft mission currency and proficiency, AFSOC said.

“While maintainers have remained engaged, conducting maintenance necessary to sustain the CV-22 during the stand-down, they will receive training in line with the maintenance protocols directed by the NAVAIR return to fly bulletin,” AFSOC said. “Each squadron will progress through this phase at different speeds based on a variety of factors including maintenance requirements for aircraft, experience level of personnel in the squadron, and weather impact to flight schedules.”

• READ MORE: Marine Corps: Hard Clutch Engagement Issue Cause of Fatal MV-22B Crash

 Once that is complete, the aircraft will resume full missions in a third phase.

“This phased approach affords AFSOC the time required to maximize opportunities to learn as much as possible from the Safety Investigation Board and Accident Investigation Board to mitigate risk to our aircrew, maintainers, and joint partners,” AFSOC said.

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Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) began installing the system, dubbed Mission Data Extender (MDE), in December and said it represents the first fully integrated, hard-mounted commercial tablet to be used as a primary mission display on a naval aircraft.

“This is a huge step toward open architecture, innovative solutions to mission-data presentation,” Lieutenant Commander Neil Whitesell, in-service avionics systems project officer for the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office, said in a statement. “We did it at low cost, fast, and we provided a major capability improvement to the warfighter.” 

• READ MORE: 5 Killed in CH-53 Crash, Marine Corps Confirms

The CH-53’s current primary panel consists of two smart multifunction color displays (SMFCDs) that show hover cueing, ownship position, threat reports, route/waypoint information, moving map, and real-time, forward-looking infrared (FLIR). But the system is also aging.

“The SMFCD is currently suffering from reliability and reparability issues that reduce availability on the flight line and hinder readiness,” NAVAIR said.

• READ MORE: MH-139A Grey Wolf Training Unit Activates at Maxwell AFB

The MDE system provides the capability of the legacy SMFCD by deploying both developmental and nondevelopmental commercial/government off-the-shelf components but at less than one-third the price of an SMFCD upgrade, NAVAIR said.

“The CH-53E now has an aircraft-powered, Wi-Fi-based mission display capable of seamless interoperability with several carry-on data terminals and capable of walk-on/walk-off expeditionary mission planning,” Whitesell said. 

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The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division awarded the indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the span of five years. 

• READ MORE: UK, Italy, Japan Sign Treaty to Develop Stealth Fighter

“Under the new contract, BAE Systems will continue to provide fleet services, technical support, and operational software development and maintenance to support various air traffic control and landing systems for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and international customers,” the company said.

Work done under the contract will be completed in Great Mills, St. Inigoes, and Patuxent River in Maryland; Chesapeake, Virginia; and San Diego,  according to BAE Systems.

• READ MORE: First EC-37B Compass Call Tactical Jammer Delivered to Air Force

The contract is the latest for the company tapped to lead the Global Combat Air Program’s multinational development of a next-gen, supersonic fighter jet. Earlier this month, the U.K., Italy, and Japan signed a treaty to collaborate on the development of the stealth fighter, which the countries say will be delivered to their respective air forces in 2035.

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The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, went down offshore of Yakushima Island on November 29 with eight crewmembers on board during a routine training mission. The Japan Coast Guard said it received an emergency call at the time of the incident, along with reports that the aircraft’s left engine was on fire as it fell.

• READ MORE: Crash Prompts Japan to Call on U.S. Military to Ground Ospreys 

On Wednesday, Lieutenant General Tony Bauernfeind, the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) top commander, instituted an operational stand-down of the Air Force CV-22 fleet.

“Preliminary investigation information indicates a potential materiel failure caused the mishap, but the underlying cause of the failure is unknown at this time,” AFSOC said in a statement. “The stand-down will provide time and space for a thorough investigation to determine causal factors and recommendations to ensure the Air Force CV-22 fleet returns to flight operations.”

Following the AFSOC order, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), which supports aviation in both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, said that “out of an abundance of caution,” it had also grounded all V-22 variants.

“While the mishap remains under investigation, we are implementing additional risk mitigation controls to ensure the safety of our service members,” NAVAIR said. 

• READ MORE: DOD Identifies 8 Killed in CV-22 Crash Off Coast of Japan

The decision to ground V-22 operations comes days after Japan’s military temporarily suspended operations of its fleet of 14 tiltrotor aircraft, calling on the U.S. military to do the same in the country.

“It goes without saying that ensuring flight safety is the highest priority in the operation of aircraft,” Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, told Reuters on Thursday. “We will continue to request information sharing with the U.S. side to ensure flight safety.”

• READ MORE: Marine Corps: Hard Clutch Engagement Issue Cause of Fatal MV-22B Crash

The remains of six of the eight airmen on board the CV-22 have been recovered. Search and recovery operations focused on locating the remains of the unaccounted for two airmen are ongoing, according to AFSOC.

“Following personnel recovery operations, the force will turn its efforts toward salvaging the remaining aircraft debris,” AFSOC said Thursday.

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Under the contract, the Wichita, Kansas, unit of Textron is to provide a range of support in addition to the aircraft, including spare parts, training for instructor pilots and maintenance personnel, and certain support equipment.

“The contract award is for up to 64 Beechcraft King Air 260 METS aircraft with deliveries starting in 2024,” the company said in a statement.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the King Air 260s will be used for intermediate and advanced training of pilots transitioning to multiengine models, including the Boeing P-8, Lockheed KC-130, Grumman E-2, and versions of the V-22 Osprey. 

Textron Aviation’s parent company, Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), also reported fourth quarter results including increases in revenue and net income.

For the quarter, net income rose 9.2 percent to $226 million, or $1.07 per share, from $207 million, or 93 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 9.5 percent to $3.64 billion from 3.32 billion.

For the year, net income rose 15 percent to $861 million or $4.01 per share from $746 million or $3.30 per share. Revenue increased to $12.87 billion from $12.38 billion.

Textron said the backlog of $6.4 billion in its aviation division at the end of 2022 had increased by $2.3 billion from the end of 2021. The company also said its full-year outlook for earnings per share in 2023 ranges from $4.40 to $4.60 per share. 

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