Under the agreement, Joby will deliver and operate up to nine of its five-seat, low-noise, zero-operating emissions aircraft with the first two aircraft expected to be delivered by early 2024.
Joby Aviation, a California-based aviation company, has extended its Agility Prime contract with the United States Air Force for the third time, bringing the total potential value of the contract up to $131 million. Joby is currently developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which will be used by the Air Force and other federal agencies to demonstrate potential logistics use cases, including cargo and passenger transportation.
Under the agreement, Joby will deliver and operate up to nine of its five-seat, low-noise, zero-operating emissions aircraft. The first two aircraft are expected to be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, California, by early 2024, becoming the first electric air taxis to be stationed at a U.S. military base.
Joby’s eVTOL aircraft will provide the Air Force and other federal agencies with first-hand experience of the performance of Joby’s aircraft and its potential applications. Additionally, the Air Force pilots have flown Joby’s eVTOL aircraft as sole pilot-in-command through the full flight envelope, including transition from vertical to wingborne flight, which is part of the Air Force’s comprehensive approach to studying eVTOL aircraft and their potential future role.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO, Joby Aviation said, “The Agility Prime program is a remarkably successful example of how public-private partnerships can deliver trailblazing technology at speed. We’re grateful for the support of the program and for the U.S. government’s wider commitment to global leadership in this important new sector. As well as allowing us to explore the wide range of potential use cases across the U.S. government, our defense partners have also provided us with high-impact support as we prepare for commercial operations in 2025.”
Joby’s partnership with the Department of Defense began over five years ago, providing the company with access to testing facilities, early operational experience for government customers, and a partial offset to its research and development costs. The Agility Prime program was established in 2020, with the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps expressing active interest in the capabilities of eVTOL aircraft.
“This next step of getting Air Force pilots trained and operating Joby aircraft at an Air Force installation is an incredibly important milestone for the program, providing key insights to actual operations and use case validation for Advanced Air Mobility aircraft,” said Lt. Col. Tom Meagher, AFWERX Prime Lead, U.S. Air Force. “Additionally, the Joby operations provide an outstanding opportunity for accelerated learning with the other Department of Defense services and government agencies, including NASA and the FAA,” he further added.
Edwards Air Force Base has been the site of hundreds of significant aviation “firsts,” where Captain Chuck Yeager and the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier on Oct. 14, 1947, and the space shuttle first landed on its initial return from Earth’s orbit.
“We’re honored to continue the tradition of accelerating emerging aviation technology as we become the first base to exercise electric air taxis as they are intended to be used in commercial operations,” said Lt. Col. Adam Brooks, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force commander, U.S. Air Force.
The United States government’s commitment to leading the way on the adoption of Advanced Air Mobility is further demonstrated by dozens of bipartisan Members of Congress who joined together in February to issue a letter to the Department of Transportation, calling for stronger U.S. leadership in AAM. In March 2023, the White House signaled its support for AAM and clean aviation, identifying them as top priorities in its National Aeronautics Science & Technology Priorities brief.
Read More Stories…Textron Aviation delivers 400th Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 aircraft to Koch Holdings
Joby expects to begin commercial operations of its eVTOL aircraft in 2025, and the company’s partnership with the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force will provide it with high-impact support as it prepares for commercial operations.
