Archer Delivers First Midnight eVTOL to US Air Force

August 21, 2024

The Department of Defense has issued military airworthiness acceptance for Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft, clearing the way for the delivery of the first Midnight eVTOL to the U.S. Air Force, pictured here, in Salinas, California. (Image: Archer Aviation)

Archer Aviation Inc. completed the delivery of its first Midnight aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to evaluate as part of its AFWERX Agility Prime contract valued at up to $142 million.

Archer first unveiled Midnight as a prototype of its production eVTOL in November 2022, powered by six independent battery packs each supporting a pair of electric engines and a 100-mile range at speeds of up to 150 mph.

The delivery comes after the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) accepted Midnight’s military airworthiness assessment, a critical approval that confirms Midnight’s readiness for flight testing by AFWERX. This allows AFWERX to conduct government-directed testing of the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and validate operational and military-specific mission concepts.

A team of USAF personnel worked alongside Archer’s flight test team to ramp up operations with Midnight at a testing site in Salinas, California. Together, these teams executed simulated medical evacuation, cargo, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights.

"This delivery represents a pivotal moment not only for Archer but for the future of military aviation," said Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer Aviation. "Together, our goal is to prove Midnight’s potential and ensure the United States continues to lead the way with the world’s most advanced technology."

"Archer's Midnight aircraft has the potential to significantly enhance our operational capabilities," said Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX Director and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of the Air Force. "We look forward to continuing our work with our industry partners as we explore the ways that this advanced aircraft can contribute to the mission."

The first completed delivery to the Air Force comes following Archer’s recent completion of its first transition flight at a speed of 100+ mph in June. Archer has now achieved transition with two different full-scale eVTOL aircraft. Transition is well known in the industry as a very difficult milestone few companies have reached. Weighing less than 6,500 pounds, Midnight is believed to be one of the largest eVTOL aircraft to complete transition.

Under a contract signed in June 2023, Archer is scheduled to deliver up to six Midnight eVTOL aircraft to the Air Force along with the sharing of additional flight test data and certification related test reports, pilot training, and the development of maintenance and repair operations.

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