SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 19, 2026--
Elroy Air, the leading U.S.-based developer of autonomous aerial systems for middle-mile logistics, today announced that Dr. Jason Rathje has joined the company’s Defense Advisory Board. Rathje was the founding director of the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), an office dedicated to attracting private investment in critical technologies vital to U.S. national security. Rathje positioned OSC to manage up to $200B in credit authority, making it one of the largest credit agencies in the U.S. government.
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Rathje joins high-ranking former U.S. government officials on the Elroy Air Defense Advisory Board including Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, U.S. Navy (ret), former Chief of Naval Research; The Honorable Ellen M. Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; General Richard D. Clarke, U.S. Army (ret), former Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command; and Lieutenant General Michael G. Dana, USMC (ret), former Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.
"When the Department of War first backed Elroy Air through the SBIR program, we saw a team that understood the opportunity – building a system the commercial market needed that could also transform military logistics. Today, with a mature, flight-proven technology platform, over a thousand preorders, a team supporting three branches of the DoW, a world-class manufacturing partner in Kratos, and a rapid path to production and procurement, Elroy Air is living proof that when government and private capital work together early, we accelerate the fielding and maturation of dual-use technology products. I’m honored to join their Defense Advisory Board and look forward to supporting the company as it scales production to support both commercial and defense users," said Rathje.
Prior to his role at the OSC, Rathje served as director and co-founder of AFVentures, the Department of the Air Force’s commercial investment arm under AFWERX. In that role, he managed $1.8 billion of combined government funding and private capital for scaling early- to mid-stage technology ventures to support Air Force operations. Rathje holds a doctorate degree of philosophy in strategy and policy from Stanford University, as well as a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from MIT. Rathje currently serves as the President of Public Sector for webAI, a private enterprise AI platform.
"Dr. Jason Rathje joins Elroy Air to support our trajectory as we meet this critical moment. He built the Office of Strategic Capital from the ground up inside the Department of War, mobilized billions in capital toward technologies that matter most for national security, and he knows how to move defense innovation from development to operational reality. That combination of strategic vision and practical execution is rare and it maps directly to what we're doing with Chaparral. We couldn't be more excited to have him on our Defense Advisory Board," said Elroy Air CEO Dr. Andrew Clare.
Elroy Air is redefining autonomous cargo transport with the Chaparral — an advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft built to carry up to 300 pounds of cargo across 300 miles without a crew onboard. Chaparral was engineered with a hybrid-electric powertrain to meet the needs of commercial and defense customers, with high utilization, no charging infrastructure required, and increased range.
About Elroy Air
Elroy Air is developing industry-first autonomous aircraft systems and cutting-edge software to revolutionize express shipping. Deploying innovative hybrid-electric and autonomous vehicle technologies, their vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft transcend traditional airport limitations, unlocking new frontiers in commercial air cargo, humanitarian aid, and military logistics. From agile, low-risk resupply for troops, to dynamic disaster response and firefighting support, to warehouse-to-warehouse express parcel transport, Elroy Air’s technology reshapes logistics possibilities. With facilities in Byron, California, Elroy Air is backed by premier venture capital firms including Diamondstream Partners, Catapult Ventures, Marlinspike Partners, Snowpoint Ventures, and Shield Capital. Strategic investment from industry giants like Lockheed Martin Ventures and support from visionary angel investors including early Uber executives drive the company's mission to provide same-day shipping to every person on the planet.
For more information, visit elroyair.com.
Dr. Jason Rathje joins Elroy Air's Defense Advisory Board
