Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) and L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announced they are exploring opportunities to develop a new aircraft class for defense applications. The gas turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is designed for low-altitude missions and offers the versatility of being optionally piloted, enabling both crewed and fully autonomous operations. The collaboration leverages Joby’s existing commercial aircraft development program and leading manufacturing capabilities, combined with L3Harris’ proven expertise in platform missionization including sensors, effectors, communication and collaborative autonomy. Flight testing is expected to start this fall with the companies planning to perform operational demonstrations during government exercises in 2026.
Joby is actively developing a gas turbine hybrid powertrain for its current S4 aircraft platform and has demonstrated aircraft-level autonomy following its acquisition of the autonomy division of Xwing in June 2024. Joby has previously demonstrated, under government contract, a hybrid platform capable of long ranges, including an industry-first, 561-mile hybrid flight in June 2024. Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi. Joby intends to both operate its fast, quiet, and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world and sell its aircraft to other operators and partners.
“We have worked closely with the Department of Defense over the past decade to give them a front row seat to the development of our dual-purpose technology, and we’re now ready to demonstrate and deploy it,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation. “Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that.”
“The next generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions,” said Jon Rambeau, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing VTOL aircraft for defense applications.”
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. is an American technology company, defense contractor, and information technology services provider that produces products for command and control systems, wireless equipment, tactical radios, avionics and electronic systems, night vision equipment, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C3ISR) systems and products, ocean systems, instrumentation, navigation products, training devices and services, and both terrestrial/spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. The company was formed from the merger of L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation on June 29, 2019, which made it the sixth-largest defense contractor in the United States.
