by jdmark on 3/28/25, 9:56 PM with 94 comments
by icegreentea2 on 4/1/25, 1:14 PM
This will not primarily be for rescue ops. This will be for supporting Marine standin operations on and within the first island chain. The marines have been trying to figure out how they can handle sustainment and logistics in that environment.
You can read some wonkish article about this (back in 2022) https://warontherocks.com/2022/09/sustainment-of-the-stand-i... . You'll note that the article does suggest revisiting seaplanes as a distribution option.
With a few hundred miles range, these craft would be suitable as one way island to island hoppers, or 2 way over the horizon ship to shore transports. For a sense of scale, its ~140 miles from Luzon to Scarborough Shoal (one of the contested islands in the South China Sea).
The "Viceroy" craft that Regent has mocked up on their website claims 180 mile range, 3500lb of cargo / 2 crew + 12 passengers.
EDIT: And to be clear, the article title says "to get", but the article makes clear, this is basically a testing and development contract. There's no certainty that the Marines will get this capability in any meaningful way. Probably better to replace with "to test". This is particularly important because the commercial version of this craft is also still in development and testing.
by JR1427 on 4/1/25, 12:35 PM
by acc_297 on 4/1/25, 1:38 PM
"A 1/4 scale model was successfully demonstrated in 2022 in Narragansett Bay"[1]
Also I assume radar-proof is just because it's a ground effect vehicle that will never fly high enough to show up on radar it certainly doesn't look all angular like a stealth bomber. In which case my bicycle is also radar-proof?
by Rygian on 4/1/25, 1:00 PM
Is there anything inherent to this technology that prevents it from being used for anything else? The article body insists on "demonstrations relevant to specific defense operations" which sounds quite broad and not limited to rescue ops in any way.
by nsiemsen on 4/1/25, 7:36 PM
by fidotron on 4/1/25, 1:46 PM
by CapricornNoble on 4/2/25, 3:22 AM
Other comments are correct that the Corps isn't even close to solving the contested sustainment/logistics problems here in the First Island Chain, or in the South China Sea.
These seagliders are a nifty solution to the signature management issues, but their payload is tiny. We need the ability to move pallets of munitions or other cargo.
by foxyv on 4/2/25, 6:47 PM
by bluesounddirect on 3/30/25, 1:52 PM
by ein0p on 4/1/25, 9:32 PM
by natmaka on 4/2/25, 1:44 AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_%C3%89ben-%C3%8...
by 650REDHAIR on 4/2/25, 3:57 PM
by lttlrck on 3/29/25, 1:41 PM
I'd love one of these in MS Flight Simulator or DCS.
by zombiwoof on 4/1/25, 8:12 PM
by MaxPock on 4/1/25, 2:09 PM
by nimbius on 4/1/25, 2:01 PM
these are prop aircraft.
>radar evading
except for that insane heat signature coming from the half dozen DC motors and the RF emissions from them.
>electric
unless teslas making it...probably not...
this sounds like a pork project...or PR fluff.