Lockheed’s Skunk Works Will Help Develop Electra’s ‘Ultra-STOL’ EL9

Defense contractor’s secretive advanced technology arm could accelerate the timeline for the hybrid-electric aircraft, designed to take off and land in just 150 feet.

Jack Daleo

Friday, June 20, 2025 at 12:39 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

A defense variant of Electra’s EL9 could shed the model’s original bright yellow livery in favor of a more covert appearance for military operations. [Courtesy: Electra]

Key Takeaways:

Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works and Electra have partnered to accelerate the development of Electra's EL9, a hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (Ultra-STOL) aircraft.
The EL9 is designed for exceptional operational flexibility, requiring only 150 feet for takeoff/landing from various surfaces and featuring a hybrid powertrain for extended range and in-flight battery recharging.
This collaboration aims to land the EL9 as a solution for the U.S. Department of Defense, particularly for "Agile Combat Employment" missions in contested environments where its unique capabilities offer significant logistical and strategic advantages.

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PARIS—Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works unit is exploring a hybrid-electric aircraft designed to take off at the speed of a car from runways, grass fields, or any unimproved surface.

That aircraft would be Virginia-based Electra’s EL9, which the company is designing as an ultra short takeoff and landing (“Ultra-STOL”) model with just 150 feet required for takeoff and landing. At the Paris Air Show on Thursday, Electra and Skunk Works signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the concept’s development—and, potentially, land it customers within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).