US air taxi developer Archer Aviation has delivered its first Midnight aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) as part of its $142 million contract with the AFWERX Agility Prime programme.
The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle is the first of up to six that Archer intends to deliver to the service.
Santa Clara-based Archer said on 15 August that the US Department of Defense had accepted its military airworthiness assessment of the yet-to-be-certificated Midnight, clearing the way for a “delivery-in-place hand-off” of the aircraft at Archer’s test facility in Salinas, California.
“This allows AFWERX to conduct government-directed testing of the aircraft for the US Air Force and validate operational and military-specific mission concepts,” Archer says.
USAF personnel have already worked alongside Archer’s team to simulate medical evacuation, cargo, intelligence and reconnaissance missions, with the all-electric Midnight’s relatively small acoustic footprint lending itself to stealthy operations.
“Archer’s Midnight aircraft is expected to provide a much safer, cost-effective and quieter alternative to existing internal combustion engine options,” says the start-up. “As such, it holds the promise of enhancing rapid response, agility and operational effectiveness across a wide range of mission profiles.”
Chief executive Adam Goldstein says that Archer’s mission is to “prove Midnight’s potential and ensure the United States continues to lead the way with the world’s most advanced technology”.
Archer has previously hinted that other branches of the military may explore the Midnight’s capabilities with future projects.
The firm is pushing to certificate its piloted, four-passenger air taxi as early as next year, and to launch commercial operations shortly thereafter.
