Joby Aviation has selected L3Harris Technologies to collaborate on developing a new class of gas turbine hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed for defense applications.
The partnership combines Joby’s existing commercial aircraft development program and manufacturing capabilities with L3Harris’ experience in sensors, effectors, communications and collaborative autonomy for military applications.
The hybrid aircraft will be based on Joby’s S4 platform, it’s 5-seater commercial eVTOL aircraft. The military variant will be designed for low-altitude missions with optionally piloted capabilities, enabling both crewed and fully autonomous operations.
“The next-generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions,” said Jon Rambeau, president, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for defense needs.”
Flight testing is expected to begin in the coming months, with the companies planning operational demonstrations during government exercises next year.
California, USA-based Joby is already developing a gas turbine hybrid powertrain for its current S4 aircraft platform.
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation, said, “We have worked closely with the Department of Defense over the past decade to give them a front row seat to the development of our dual-purpose technologies, and we’re now ready to demonstrate and deploy it. Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that.”
Joby has demonstrated aircraft-level autonomy following its acquisition of the autonomy division of Xwing in June 2024. The company previously demonstrated under government contract that its platform can be hybridized to deliver longer ranges, showcasing a 561-mile (903km) hydrogen-electric hybrid flight in June 2024.
The defense collaboration represents a growing trend among eVTOL aircraft developers of adapting commercial aircraft for military applications. Archer Aviation is partnering with Anduril Industries to develop an autonomous hybrid-electric aircraft based on its Midnight air taxi, while Vertical Aerospace and Beta Technologies are also pursuing defense applications for their eVTOL aicraft.
The Joby and L3Harris aircraft will initially target military applications including airborne surveillance, reconnaissance and contested logistics applications. The partnership aims to demonstrate aircraft capabilities during broader government exercises that military services hold periodically.
“Conflicts like Russia, Ukraine, are really changing how people think about low altitude aviation generally,” Joby executive chairman Paul Sciarra told CNBC. “Getting something out there that can move very quickly from demonstration to deployability felt especially important.”
