Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Emerge shows its hybrid-electric STOUT military aircraft

During the National Defense Seminar, offered by the Brazilian Ministry of Defense, the Air Force commander presented the new hybrid-electric short takeoff military and commercial transport aircraft for the first time. The aircraft is being developed jointly with the Embraer company.

Named STOUT (Short Take-Off Utility Transport), the vehicle intended to replace the Brazilian air force’s Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante (designated C-95A) and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia (designated C-97) since it has a similar size to the latter. The utility aircraft will be able to take off on short and semi-prepared runways, facilitating use in the Amazon region.

The conceptual image shows a plane with a high-wing design with a T-shaped tail, with a rectangular fuselage and a rear ramp. It will have a hybrid concept, with two turboprop engines and two electric engines. The electric motors will be installed, one at the center of the wing consoles and one at the wingtips.

The STOUT aircraft would be capable of carrying 24 paratroopers or 30 soldiers. According to the first information released, it will be able to transport 3 tons of cargo and will have a range of 2,452 km (1,310 nautical miles). It is assumed that a runway length of 1.2 kilometers will be sufficient for STOUT to take off.

The hybrid aircraft would come with a rear cargo ramp for loading and unloading cargo and passengers. It can be configured internally for VIP and personnel transport, as the C-97 Bandeirante does today.

STOUT is the result of a study developed by Embraer, with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which combines the technical excellence of the company and the operational experience of several FAB transport pilots, in the terms established in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in December 2019, whose objective was to design a new light military transport aircraft that meets the demands of the Brazilian Armed Forces.