Electric aircraft could provide reliable and efficient modes of transportation to get Marines into the fight.
Electric aircraft for military use? It’s not as far-fetched as you may think. In fact, the military’s employment of electric aircraft may have just gained a new dose of viability and credibility now that no less than the United States Marine Corps (USMC) is seriously entertaining the notion.
Wing-In-Ground Warbirds for the Devil Dogs?
This latest development comes to us courtesy of The Maritime Executive in a May 5, 2025, article titled “Marine Corps Could Be Among First Users of Electric Wing-in-Ground Craft.” To wit:
“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 WIG aircraft is envisioned as supporting the USMC’s new fighting doctrine, dubbed Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. This doctrine is designed for conflict in the First Island Chain, in and around the small islands near Taiwan. In the event of China making good on its threats to launch a cross-strait invasion of Taiwan, small teams of heavily-armed Marines would fan out to outposts south of Okinawa, where they would be well-positioned to harass Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships with long-range missiles.
This situation would call for reliable and efficient modes of transportation to get those Marines into such a fight. Accordingly, as the article continues:
“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.”
To demonstrate just how seriously the “devil dogs” are about exploring the concept (putting their money where their mouth is, as it were), the Corps has already plunked down $10 million for a parallel military demonstration program, on top of a $5 million initial R&D contract.
The Manufacturer’s Story
The company in question goes by the full name REGENT Craft, Inc., headquartered in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. REGENT was co-founded in 2020 by current CEO Billy Thalheimer and CTO Mike Klinker. Both Messrs. Thalheimer and Klinker previously worked at Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences.
One USMC Veteran’s Perspective
The Maritime Executive article was brought to my attention in the first place by my friend Luis Lopez, a Marine Corps veteran who served with the 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company. Here’s what Luis had to say about the viability of the project:
“I don’t know how I like this, to be honest. While the concept seems nice on paper, it may be less practical in real life—given the need to strategically place electrical resources in permissive environments.”
Thanks for the perspective, Luis, Semper Fi and OORAH! Time will tell whether the project proves itself practical; the first Regent Viceroy prototype began sea trials earlier this year, with initial commercial deliveries expected in 2027.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr was previously a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ) and 19FortyFive. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). If you’d like to pick his brain further, you can ofttimes find him at the Old Virginia Tobacco Company (OVTC) lounge in Manassas, Virginia, partaking of fine stogies and good quality human camaraderie.
Image: DVIDS.
