Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying News

Air Force Receives First Archer Midnight Air Taxi

The military is intrigued by the aircraft’s mix of vertical takeoff and landing capability and low noise.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 03:51 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

Air Force personnel watch Archer’s Midnight eVTOL air taxi during a recent test flight. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation delivered its first Midnight eVTOL aircraft to the U.S. Air Force under a contract worth up to $142 million, with plans for up to five additional deliveries.
The Air Force will evaluate the Midnight for defense operations such as medical evacuation and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), leveraging its vertical takeoff/landing and low noise capabilities.
The aircraft has received military airworthiness approval, clearing it for flight testing by AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm.
This delivery is part of a broader trend, as the U.S. military is actively exploring eVTOL technology, with companies like Joby Aviation and Beta Technologies also having contracts with the Air Force.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation has delivered one of its flagship Midnight air taxis to the U.S. Air Force, the first of up to six such deliveries under a contract worth up to $142 million.

The agreement, signed last August with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, will allow Air Force pilots to gauge the aircraft’s usefulness for defense operations and could be leveraged by other military branches.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.