What Joby’s Autonomous SuperPilot™ at REFORPAC 2025 Means for Defense Industry

SANTA CRUZ, CA – September 3, 2025 – Joby Aviation has crossed a new threshold in autonomy, completing a landmark U.S. Department of Defense exercise, ReFORPAC 2025 (Resolute Force Pacific), leveraging its SuperPilot technology to log over 7,000 miles of autonomous operations and more than 40 flight hours across the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii.

ReFURPAC 2025

ReFORPAC 2025

• Occurred between July 10 – August 8, 2025
• Air Force’s largest Pacific contingency-response exercise
• multiple locations in the Pacific:
  • Hawai’i 🇺🇸
  • Guam 🇬🇺
  • Japan 🇯🇵 (home of Joby’s partner Toyota)
  • international airspace 🇺🇳
• Joby’s autonomous flights occurred July 24-30, 2025

During the exercise, Joby’s Superpilot™ autonomous system successfully operated a Cessna 208 Caravan on multiple long-distance flights over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaiian airspace. The autonomous Superpilot™ system logged 43.7 flight hours, covering a total distance of 7,342 miles. The Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft conducted six sorties, flying for 14 hours and traveling 2,416 miles. Additionally, the mission involved a roundtrip ferry flight spanning 4,925 miles, during which Superpilot™ successfully executed a trans-Pacific crossing, including landings and taxi operations at the designated airports. Remarkably, some flights were controlled remotely from ground stations located thousands of miles away in Guam, demonstrating Joby’s ability to manage aircraft remotely over vast distances.

“This is a logistical movement at an unprecedented scale – an explosive surge into the theater driven by precision and a resilient joint network.”…“What makes it exceptional is the partnership with local leaders abroad, as well as infrastructure; their participatory enthusiasm has turned REFORPAC into a truly integrated regional effort. This support brings essential access and shared purpose to an extraordinary training landscape.” –  Brig. Gen. Mike Zuhlsdorf, PACAF director of logistics, engineering and force protection.

The missions carried out by the modified Cessna 208 Caravan covered a range of scenarios, including rapid cargo transport within a theater of operations, dynamic mission changes, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks. These flights took place in diverse airspace environments, from controlled Class B, C, and D airspaces to uncontrolled areas, under both visual and instrument flight rules. This wide operational envelope underlines the versatility and reliability of Joby’s autonomous system.

“AFWERX has partnered with Joby’s team for several years with increasingly complex development and demonstration efforts of autonomy to support contested logistics missions.”….”REFORPAC was an opportunity to demonstrate the technology in a realistic environment and highlight the potential impact of these autonomous systems. The lessons learned from this exercise participation are vital to guiding our focus as we continue development of affordable technologies that support the needs of our Airmen.” – Lt. Col. Jonathan Gilbert, AFWERX Prime division chief.

“AFWERX’s collaboration with industry shows our commitment to moving technology from the lab to the warfighter and building readiness to win in contested environments.”…. “Contested logistics comes down to pushing forward, protecting assets and staying agile. By working together with industry, we’re not just building better technologies, but a stronger defense ecosystem. That’s how we win together — and how we win the future.” – Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, Air Force Research Laboratory commander and Department of the Air Force technology executive officer.

Why Joby’s Participation in REFORPAC Matters

Utilizing the autonomy toolkit acquired from Xwing (including the SuperPilot software), Joby demonstrated entirely autonomous flight management—managing the mission remotely from ground control stations at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, more than 3,000 miles away.

The successful deployment of Joby’s autonomous technology in a demanding military context provides strong evidence of its dual-use capabilities—applicable not only to commercial air taxis but also to military logistics and operations. This opens the door for Joby to compete for substantial contracts within the defense sector, which is increasingly investing in autonomous and hybrid aircraft technologies.

The U.S. Air Force currently faces a challenge in efficiently supporting low-volume, high-urgency and high-risk deliveries in large operational theaters. The REFORPAC exercise validated that a light cargo aircraft, equipped with Superpilot, can meet this demand, while freeing up larger, more costly aircraft for other missions. 

“The exercise demonstrated Superpilot’s ability to operate in complex, real-world scenarios with the precision and reliability demanded by the U.S. government.”.. “This is a testament to our decade-long collaboration with the Department of Defense and a significant step toward deploying our dual-use technologies in the field.” – Greg Bowles, Chief Policy Officer at Joby

“We’re witnessing a complex operation in the Indo-Pacific driven by logistics – rapid, deliberate and mission-driven.”..“Our Total Force concept is critical to this capability, leveraging the unparalleled expertise and diverse talent drawn from every industry and sector of society through our Guard and Reserve. This integration creates extraordinary opportunities to strengthen our Total Force and coalition Airmen.” –  Brig. Gen. Athanasia Shinas, mobilization assistant to PACAF’s director of logistics

The U.S. Department of Defense’s growing budget focused on autonomous aviation ($9.4 billion for FY2026), highlights the timeliness of Joby’s demonstration. By proving their system’s effectiveness in REFORPAC, Joby positions itself as a credible partner for future defense initiatives seeking advanced autonomous flight solutions.

Furthermore, operating within a stringent military exercise environment validates the safety and reliability of Joby’s technology. This is a vital endorsement that bolsters confidence among regulators, military stakeholders, and potential commercial partners alike.

Insights gained through REFORPAC are expected to directly influence the ongoing development of Joby’s commercial electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The data and operational experience will help refine the system’s robustness and support regulatory approval efforts. Such collaboration will inevitably provide additional technological developments that can be integrated into Joby’s air taxi operations, including the passenger operations recently acquired from Blade Air Mobility.

“Manpower is one of the challenges we face in PACAF.” “Any opportunity to reduce the logistics burden on our Airmen allows them to focus on other critical tasks that support the mission and improve overall efficiency.” – Dr. Michael Durstock, Pacific Air Forces chief science and technology adviser

“Our mission is to reduce barriers so promising commercial capabilities can reach the warfighter faster.” – AFWERX program manager 2nd Lt. Sarah Hubert

Photos courtesy of Matthew Clouse

On July 28, AFWERX and Joby held a special event at the flight line of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, offering senior leaders from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) an up-close look at an autonomous aircraft. The gathering provided a chance to explore the aircraft’s features, ask in-depth questions, and gain insights into its operational potential. Among the key attendees were  Lt. Gen. Laura Lenderman, Pacific Air Forces deputy commander; Dr. Bob Stephenson, director of requirements and resources (J8) at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; Brig. Gen. Shane Vesely, PACAF chief of staff; Brig. Gen. Mike Zuhlsdorf, PACAF director of logistics, engineering and force protection; and Dr. Michael Durstock, Pacific Air Forces chief science and technology adviser.

Strategic Impact

For the U.S. Air Force, SuperPilot’s reliable autonomous cargo operations mean that larger transport aircraft can stay available for mission‑critical tasks, boosting flexibility across contested theaters.

For Joby, this demonstration continues a recent trajectory of defense wins and technological leadership—earlier milestones include successful exercises like Agile Flag, Type Inspection Authorization preparation, and delivery of aircraft to Edwards AFB.

Joby’s SuperPilot ReFORPAC campaign delivers strategic gold: real‑world operational data, DOD validation, and momentum behind its autonomy roadmap. Whether you’re tracking regulatory milestones, manufacturing scale‑up, or emerging defense use‑cases, this signals that Joby is far more than an air‑taxi hopeful—it’s speeding ahead as a dual‑market pioneer.

Background Information:

Joby Aviation

• Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California
• major eVTOL manufacturer
• Manufacturer of S4 eVTOL aircraft
• Will develop hybrid-electric version, and is currently testing a hydrogen-electric version
• First transition of a full-scale, prototype aircraft on 2017.
• First piloted transition flight on April 22, 2025
• Acquired INFRAS in 2021 and the autonomy division of Xwing in 2024
• Received a total of $894 million in investment from Toyota
• Has obtained numerous defense contracts with the Pentagon and collaborates on testing of its eVTOL aircraft

INRAS

• Based in Linz, Austria
• Acquired by Joby on December 21, 2021
• Co-founded by Andreas Haderer and Andreas Stelzer
• Expertise in radiofrequency (RF) systems design, advanced radar sensors, processing boards, and real-time signal processing
• Leaders in airborne sensing and autonomy

XWING (autonomy division)

• Founded in 2016
• Based in Concord, California
• Acquired by Joby in 2024
• Worked on autonomous aircraft since 2020
• First company to obtain large unmanned aerial system (UAS) certification from the FAA (April 2023)
• First company from AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program to obtain Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 as a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated Public Aircraft Operation (PAO) in unrestricted airspace
• Created Superpilot software for autonomous flights
• over 300 fully autonomous flights and 500 auto-landings
• participlated in:
  • Agile Flag 24-1
    • 2,800 miles of fully autonomous flight
  • Agile Flag 24-3 (as part of Joby)
    • 3,900 miles of fully autonomous flight

Xwing’s Superpilot

Joby and Xwing’s partners within US Department of Defense:

412th Test Wing

• Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California
• Operations group of 3,000 personnel
• Maintenance group of 2,000 personnel
• Collaborating on testing with Joby on the S4 eVTOL

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

• Main scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force.
• 12,500 employees across nine technology areas
• Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (home of the Wright brothers)
• Technology directorates:
  • 711th Human Performance Wing
  • 711th HPW/USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
  • 711th HPW/Human Effectiveness
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
  • AFWERX
  • Directed Energy
  • Information
  • Integrated Capabilities
  • Materials & Manufacturing
  • Munitions
  • Sensors
  • Space Vehicles

AFWERX

• Program the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
• Innovation arm of the Dept of Air Force
• Connects innovators across government, industry and academia
• 1,8881 companies transitioned to Phase III ($7.5 B )
• 2,665 new companies included in small business portfolio of Department of Air Force (DAF)
• Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio
• 3 Hubs
  • Austin, Texas
  • Washington, DC
  • Los Angeles, California

It is by no coincidence that Dayton, Ohio is the headquarters of AFWERX, and Joby will have a manufacturing plant and testing facility for components of their Joby‘s Pilot Production Line at a 140-acre site at Dayton International Airport.

Agility Prime (AFWERX)

• founded in 2019
• Vertical lift and landing (VTOL) development program run by the Department of the Air Force in collaboration with the Army
• Provided small business partners more than 60 contracts totaling more than $390 million in the eVTOL and hybrid VTOL market
• 14 billion injected into private-sector commercial investment in the AAM industry
• Joby Aviation performs testing with the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
• Facilitated XWING obtaining Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 (the first in AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program)
• Supports Joby’s hydrogen-powered aircraft testing

AFWERX’s Agility Prime also works with Joby on its hydrogen-powered eVTOL as well as with its all-electric S4 eVTOL aircraft.

“Agility Prime has been very supportive of hydrogen-powered aircraft development and testing as it aligns with the program’s goals to advance transformative vertical lift technologies and broader Department of Defense operational energy goals of energy substitution and diversification, and energy demand reduction.” – Jacob Wilson, (Acting) Branch Chief, AFWERX Agility Prime

Autonomy Prime (AFWERX)

• Focuses on:
  • Autonomy Proving Grounds
    • Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test beds
    • Multi-program high-performance computing and data pipeline
  • Robotics Software Architecture
    • Sensing/Positioning
    • Multi-Agent Teaming
    • Inter-Robotics Comms Architecture
  • Strategic Operations
    • Multi-Sensing Swarming UAS
    • Rapid autonomy kits
    • Long-Range Kill Web (LRKW)
    • Attritable Intelligence
  • Enabling Technologies
    • Computer Vision, Collaborative Autonomy, Multi-Sensor Fusion, Low Cost Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
    • Mission capabilities for early risk reduction
      • Alternative Positioning
      • Navigation & Timing (Alt-PNT)

AGILE FLAG 24-3

Joby was asked by AFWERX Autonomy Prime to demonstrate autonomous flight during AGILE FLAG 24-3 and demonstrate to Air Force leaders how autonomous aviation can support the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept. A proactive and reactive operational system of movement, ACE is used to generate combat power and improve survivability within threat timelines. Joby used this occasion to showcase an autonomous Cessna 208B Grand Caravan taking off and landing from multiple air bases and public airports across California and Nevada which flights totaled 3,900 miles. Airports such as Mojave Air and Space Port, and air bases like Edwards Air Force Base, California were utilized in this exercise. These autonomous technologies were developed by Xwing’s autonomy team, which was bought out by Joby in June 2024 and had already flown over 200 flights by the time of that acquisition.

“Autonomous systems are increasingly prolific in the private sector, and bring potentially game changing advantages to the Air Force as well.”…. “We created Autonomy Prime to keep up with this shift, and to stay engaged as a partner while this technology evolves, so that we can adapt and evolve along with the private sector, maintaining our competitive advantage.” – Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force

Joby’s foresight and savvy purchase of Xwing’s autonomy division, along with its ongoing in-house advancement of autonomy technology, illustrates the company’s dedication to creating next-generation technologies that could enhance safety and broaden access to commercial aviation. Furthermore, Joby anticipates that this technology will significantly contribute to the timely fulfillment of current contract obligations with the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as increase opportunities for future contracts.

Photos A & B: Joby’s Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)

Conclusion

Joby Aviation’s engagement with REFORPAC 2025 is a major step forward for autonomous flight in both military and commercial contexts. The exercise serves as a real-world validation of their Superpilot system’s capabilities, enhances their competitive edge for defense contracts, and feeds valuable knowledge back into their civilian aircraft development program. This achievement marks not just a demonstration of technology but a strategic advancement for Joby’s broader ambitions in autonomous aviation. 

More Info:

Joby’s official press release: click here

As Quiet as it Sounds: Joby S4 eVTOL achieves significant reduction in noise pollution: click here

Blade Air Mobility Rebrands as Strata Critical Medical: A Signal of Strategic Refocus in eVTOL Ecosystem: click here

Joby Press Release – Joby Collaborates With L3Harris to Pursue Defense Applications for Autonomous Hybrid VTOL Aircraft: click here

L3Harris Press Release – Joby Collaborates with L3Harris to Pursue Defense Applications for Autonomous VTOL Aircraft: click here

AMORPHOUS™ : click here

L3Harris Air Autonomous systems: click here

IMS President Jon Rambeau: The Next Era of Autonomous Defense: click here

L3Harris Selected to Develop Autonomous Swarms Prototype: click here

L3Harris and Shield Capital Form Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Defense, Commercial Technology Solutions: click here

Press Release – Joby Acquires Xwing Autonomy Division, Looks Ahead to Autonomous Flight: click here

Air Force Awards Xwing Military Approval to Fly Autonomous Air Force Cargo Missions Across California: click here

AFWERX official website: click here

AFWERX Agility Prime – A New Era of Aerospace: click here

Joby demonstrates potential for emissions-free regional journeys with landmark 523-mile hydrogen-electric flight: click here

AFWERX Autonomy Prime: click here

Autonomous aviation transforms logistics during AGILE FLAG 24-3 exercise: click here

Joby Demonstrates Autonomous Flight in United States Air Force ‘Agile Flag’ Exercise: click here

Joby Expands Partnership with US Department of Defense: click here

AFWERX Autonomy Prime, Xwing partner for autonomous flight demonstration: click here

Joby Completes Acquisition of Radar Developer Inras GmbH: click here

Toyota To Invest $500 Million in Joby Aviation: click here

REFORPAC 2025: High-powered international team ready to conduct Air Force’s largest Pacific contingency-response exercise: click here

AGILE COMBAT EMPLOYMENT: click here

REFORPAC 2025: US Air Force executes unprecedented surge into Pacific theater: click here

Autonomous aircraft capabilities showcased by AFWERX, Joby at Department-Level Exercise: click here

Joby Selects Dayton, Ohio, Birthplace of Aviation, For First Scaled Manufacturing Facility: click here

Autonomous aircraft capabilities showcased by AFWERX, Joby at Department-Level Exercise: click here