Gabonese airline AfriJet has signed an MOU with French hybrid-electric aircraft manufacturer Aura Aero.

The purchase agreement, signed at the Paris Air Show June 22, covers an undisclosed number of Aura Aero’s Electric Regional Aircraft, or ERA, which are designed to carry 19 passengers or 1,900 kg (4,200 lb.) of cargo up to 1,600 km (995 mi.).

AfriJet CEO Marc Gaffajoli said the addition of ERAs was a “plausible and mature solution” toward the airline’s decarbonization efforts. Libreville-based AfriJet operates routes between Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin and Equatorial Guinea using a fleet of three ATR 72-600s.

Aura Aero president and co-founder Jérémy Caussade said, “We are convinced that electric is the future of regional aviation, and we are just at the beginning of this revolution.”

ERA’s first flight is scheduled for 2026 and entry into service is planned towards the end of the decade. The MOU marks Aura Aero’s entry into the African market and follows a trio of orders signed at the Paris Air Show this week. The company secured an agreement from Maltese charter operator Elit'Avia for eight aircraft, while Philippine carrier Asian Aerospace signed an LOI for three ERAs. An MOU has also been signed with US freight provider Alpine Air.