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 has delivered its first Midnight eVTOL air taxi to the U.S. Air Force, initiating a contract worth up to $142 million for up to six aircraft.
The Air Force plans to evaluate the Midnight aircraft for defense operations, utilizing its vertical takeoff/landing capabilities and low noise profile for missions such as medical evacuation, cargo, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
This delivery underscores the U.S. military's broader interest in advanced eVTOL technology, with other manufacturers like Joby Aviation and Beta Technologies also having contracts to supply aircraft for defense testing and integration.

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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.