Marine Corps Could Be Among First Users of Electric Wing-in-Ground Craft

The U.S. Marine Corps is exploring the idea of buying Regent's new all-electric wing-in-ground (WIG) craft to move troops around in the littorals of the Pacific Islands, the service's R&D lab told media at a conference in D.C. last week. 

The Marine Corps' new fighting doctrine - Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations - is designed for conflict in the First Island Chain, in and around the small islands near Taiwan. In the event of a cross-strait invasion, small teams of heavily-armed marines would fan out to unimproved outposts south of Okinawa, where they would be well-positioned to harass Chinese warships with long-range missiles. The strategy depends on logistics to move these teams into remote locations, resupply them, and relocate them on the fly to keep ahead of the enemy. This requires a new fleet of landing craft, drones, and other methods of short-range transportation. 

One novel transport mode could be advantageous in a fight, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL)'s Matthew Koch told TWZ: an all-electric WIG craft. Koch's team is looking closely at Regent's Viceroy Seaglider, a 12-seat passenger craft designed to hit speeds of 180 knots on pure battery-electric power.

Like other WIG designs, the Seaglider stays close to the surface and does not require FAA pilot licensing for operation. Unlike other WIG craft, it is whisper-quiet and cool-running because of its electric motors. This would give marines a fast, low-heat-signature, below-the-radar method to sneak into or out of remote sites.

The first Regent Viceroy prototype began sea trials earlier this year. First commercial delivery is expected in 2027, and Regent says that it has secured billions in commercial preorders.

The Marine Corps has put down $10 million for a parallel military demonstration program, on top of a $5 million initial R&D contract.