Monday, October 30, 2023

Super quiet electric aircraft @ Eglin

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - AFWERX Airmen and local media gathered at Duke Field on Eglin Air Force Base to witness one of the quietest Air Force aircraft flyovers ever. 

BETA Technologies, an electric aerospace company and AFWERX Prime partner, made several low passes in its ALIA electric aircraft before official delivery to the AF on Oct. 26. 

AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the Air Force. 

This includes partnering with BETA and other electric aircraft companies to bring zero-emission aviation to the military at a savings to operate and maintain without dependency on traditional fossil fuels.

BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft has a 50-foot wingspan, a range of 250 miles with a top speed of 138 mph and 90% quieter than a helicopter. 

The AF's test objective is to demonstrate its potential to support agile combat employment logistics with its payload capacity of 1,000 pounds.

Duke Field, located 10 miles north of Eglin, was selected as the test field for ALIA. The field is home to the Air Force’s rotary wing test squadron, the 413th Flight Test Squadron. (Air Force 10/30/23) BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft arrives at Eglin AFB > Air Force > Article Display


SECDEF to testify on security request before SAC

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will testify on the National Security Supplemental Request during a Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing at 8 a.m. CT on Oct. 31. (DoD 10/30/23)

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