- Archer announced today that it has signed an agreement outlining plans to deploy an initial fleet of Midnight aircraft to Africa’s largest carrier and Star Alliance member, Ethiopian Airlines, under Archer’s “Launch Edition” program valued at up to $30M.
- The companies will work together to over time build an air taxi network in the region, with Archer planning to provide Ethiopian Airlines with a team of pilots, technicians, and engineers to support the initial deployment of these early launch edition Midnight aircraft in Ethiopia.
- While the two companies will primarily focus on developing an air taxi network in the region, they will also explore other use cases, including eco-tourism.
Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, making it the second customer planning to deploy Archer’s Midnight under the “Launch Edition” program. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier and a proud member of Star Alliance, operates an extensive global network, serving over 140 international destinations across five continents. The two will now work to bring an all-electric air taxi network to the region using Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
Archer announced the Launch Edition program in February 2025 in an effort to create a scalable commercialization framework for safely deploying aircraft in early adopter markets, enabling the company to demonstrate the capabilities of its Midnight aircraft, drive public acceptance, build operational experience and generate early revenue.
Archer plans to deploy an initial fleet of Midnight “Launch Edition” aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines with a team of Archer pilots, technicians, and engineers to support this initial deployment. Archer also plans to provide backend software infrastructure and front-end booking applications to help power urban air mobility operations during the Launch Edition program.
While Archer and Ethiopian Airlines will primarily focus on developing an air taxi network in the region using Midnight, the two are also exploring using Midnight for a broader range of use cases, including eco-tourism.
Archer and Ethiopian Airlines formalized this partnership during a signing ceremony this week in Addis Ababa. The two will continue working with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) to efficiently and safely operationalize Midnight.
Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said, “We are committed to pioneering advanced air mobility solutions that enhance connectivity and drive sustainable aviation in Africa. Our partnership with Archer Aviation marks an important step in bringing cutting-edge eVTOL technology to Ethiopia. Together, we aim to redefine regional travel and create new opportunities for efficient, eco-friendly transportation.”
Archer Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said, “Last month we announced Abu Dhabi Aviation as our first Launch Edition customer—today we’re following that up with our second, Ethiopian Airlines. Africa presents an untapped opportunity with regards to advanced air mobility, with a variety of compelling use cases that we’ll be exploring together, and I’m proud to be taking a big step forward here alongside Ethiopian Airlines.”
Alastair Curtis, General Manager, Africa, at Archer, said, “This partnership with Ethiopian Airlines represents a transformative step in bringing sustainable and efficient air mobility solutions to Ethiopia and the broader African market. At Archer, we’re committed to working with forward-thinking partners to unlock the potential of eVTOL technology. This is just the beginning of a new era of aviation for Africa.”
“U.S. aviation companies have time and again highlighted the best of American quality and innovation, and we’re excited at the opportunity for Archer to make an impact in the region while making America more prosperous through its new agreement with Ethiopian Airlines,” said Nathan Stickney, Commercial Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa.
Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10–20-minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low-noise and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back trips with minimal charge time between flights.
About Archer
Archer is designing and developing the key enabling technologies and aircraft necessary to power the future of aviation. To learn more, visit www.archer.com.
About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is a true African success story, transforming a visionary dream into a globally renowned reality for nearly eight decades. Ethiopian Airlines is committed to environmental sustainability through continuous investment in modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, innovative green initiatives, and sustainable aviation practices. As Africa’s leading airline, Ethiopian prioritizes reducing carbon emissions, enhancing operational efficiency, and implementing eco-friendly solutions across its operations. From embracing cutting-edge technology to driving reforestation projects, Ethiopian remains dedicated to building a greener future for global aviation. For more information, please visit www.ethiopianairlines.com
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Archer Aviation Inc. (“Archer”), a leading developer of all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft, today announced an agreement with the USAF to establish a collaborative strategy to explore the technical readiness and suitability of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft for USAF purposes. As Archer continues its work towards achieving FAA Type Certification of its eVTOL aircraft, flight testing information will enable the USAF to better identify opportunities for early adoption of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft with the potential for procurement and fielding in the next three years.
As part of the agreement, Archer will provide the USAF and the AFWERX Agility Prime Office with data from certain of its upcoming flight tests for the purposes of furthering the USAF’s understanding of its aircraft’s capabilities, systems and development progression. AFWERX Agility Prime is a non-traditional program seeking to accelerate the commercial market for advanced air mobility vehicles. The goal of the partnership is to conduct testing of airworthiness of Archer’s demonstrator aircraft, Maker, which is targeted to begin flight testing in the months ahead.
“We’re honored to be working with the United States Air Force to explore the potential applications of eVTOL aircraft in the coming years,” said Adam Goldstein, co-Founder and co-CEO of Archer. “As we continue to progress toward our mission of ushering in the next era of sustainable urban air mobility, working with the USAF will allow for new opportunities to share Archer’s revolutionary approach to urban air mobility. We’re excited to begin this effort to further highlight the wide-ranging benefits of eVTOL aircraft.”
“Through our partnership with the USAF, we hope to accelerate our flight testing timeline and demonstrate the technical readiness level and suitability of our aircraft for the United States Air Force’s desired applications,” said Brett Adcock, co-Founder and co-CEO of Archer. “We’re looking forward to beginning flight tests of Maker in the months ahead as part of this agreement, which will showcase the advancements we’ve made in bringing our eVTOL aircraft to market.”
“Partnerships like this will enable the USAF to work closely with the designers and engineers behind the groundbreaking new technologies that are making eVTOL flight a reality,” said Colonel Diller of the USAF. “We believe that eVTOL aircraft represent a great leap forward in aerospace and we’re excited to be working on this new era of sustainable transportation.”
Continue to follow along with Archer’s journey via www.archer.com.
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