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​​The World’s First “Air Yacht” Would Sail in the Sky and Sea (With Zero Emissions)

By Jessica Cherner

Yachts and private planes make for luxurious ways to zip from one place to another, but recently, a businessman based in Germany and Italian designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini discovered what happens when they combine boats and jets: the ultra-sleek sky yacht. Equipped with eight counter-rotating electric engines powered by super-lightweight batteries and solar panels, the nearly 500-foot-long yacht can traverse the sky (and sea) at 60 knots for more than two days straight with zero emissions. Plus, aside from its full-electric mobility, the air yacht is sustainable in other ways too: It will be built entirely from carbon fiber, which is as high-strength as it is lightweight.

The 500-foot futuristic vessel comprises three main parts: a central compartment with a living room and dining area flanked by two inflatable helium blimps that house 10 suites.

Lazzarini’s design looks like something out of the future: a spacious living room and dining area housed within the sky yacht’s central torpedo-shaped structure that’s connected via eight carbon bridges (four on each side) to two 150-foot-long blimps. And the blimps that contain a whopping 14,125,867 cubic feet of helium that keep the vessel high in the sky, flanking the main compartment, aren’t just there to elevate the jet: Between the two, there are 10 guest suites, all of which boast 360-degree views.

The two balloon-like compartments on either side of the impressive vessel comprise an inflatable base that allows the innovative machine to float atop the water surface when the owner is in the mood to sail the sea versus the sky. Though being able to choose which medium makes the most sense for specific destinations sounds like an ideal way to travel, the sky yacht is, unfortunately, still quite a ways off from replacing typical ships and planes. 

The enormous sky yacht is too big to simply park at a marina while its guests climb aboard, so it comes equipped with a retractable staircase.  

For the private owner who commissioned the estimated $627,511,500 sky yacht, however, his new mode of transportation is the way of the future. In fact, Lazzarini has promised that a first-scale model prototype will lift into the air later this year, and a collection of slightly varying designs (of different lengths) is currently in the early phases of both engineering and prototyping. So, perhaps we’ll all be passengers onboard a boat that flies before the end of the decade.

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AIR Yacht – Extraordinary $120M Luxury Superyacht

AIR yacht is a charter yacht that can be chartered for approximately $992,000 per week. She is an 81-meter behemoth designed for comfort and having fun times while out on the harsh seas.

With the concept of fun at the top of their priorities, you could have access to their jet skis, WaveRunners, and other toys onboard the AIR superyacht.

AIR yacht interior

The AIR yacht was interiorly designed by the famous Remi Tessier , who started his design career training as a cabinetmaker for over seven years.

Now, he has transitioned and applied all his learnings in yacht designing and has been the one responsible for some incredible yachts. 

One of these yachts is the Squall yacht; a 53-meter yacht delivered back in 2002; She can comfortably travel at cruising speeds of 10 knots and go up to 14 knots.

Another of these yachts is the PARSIFAL II, a charter yacht that can readily welcome up to 10 guests at a time and can be attended to by six qualified crew members.

Designed for entertainment, the AIR yacht lacks nothing in the amenities department. She has a full-blown gym, a swimming pool, a beauty room, an elevator, an impressive movie theatre, a jacuzzi, a spa room, and a commercial helipad.

She also has full air-conditioning and internet connection throughout the yacht.

Adding to this, she has access to tons of toys on board. Guests can choose from a plethora of activities they can do, such as riding in one of their jet skis, kayaks, scuba diving equipment, water skis, wave runners, and even inflatable water toys.

Specifications

The AIR yacht currently spans 265 feet or 81 meters, has a beam of 38 feet or 11.6 meters, and a draft of 11.8 feet or 3.55 meters. She is built with a steel hull, along with an aluminum superstructure. 

Although she weighs a hefty 1,893 tons, her powerful twin MTU engines partnered with her jaw-dropping 177,000-liter fuel tanks, she can easily cover a distance of over 5,000 nautical miles and can cruise at speeds of 15 knots, and can even go up to speeds of 17 knots.

AIR superyacht was engineered by famous designer Henri de Voogt, who started his passion for yachts by participating in races.

They are now famous for their creative exterior yacht designs and have been involved in several yachts such as Bliss and Viva.

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81m  /  265'9   feadship   2011 / 2017.

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Meet Air Yacht, a Bonkers Flying Superyacht Concept Powered by Two Helium Blimps

The vessel could “fly” for up to 48 hours at a top speed of 60 knots., rachel cormack.

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Is it a boat? Is it a plane? Well, folks, Lazzarini ’s futuristic new concept is a bit of both.

The disruptive design studio, which routinely delivers extreme marine creations , has just unveiled a flying superyacht called Air Yacht that looks as though it’s come straight from a sci-fi flick. The vessel’s tech is at the bleeding edge, too, with helium being the main source of fuel.

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Made from carbon fiber, the Air Yacht has one main 262-foot hull sandwiched between a pair of 492-foot airships. These two “floating balloons,” as Lazzarini describes them, will be divided into hives to store helium gas. Think of it as a superyacht with two blimps that can lift it to the skies.

The Air Yacht can either fly or sail.  Lazzarini Design

The Italian outfit hasn’t gone into too much detail regarding how this propulsion actually works but says the compressed helium allows the Air Yacht to “fly” for up to 48 hours at a top speed of 60 knots. The cruiser is also equipped with eight counter-rotating electric engines powered by ultra-light batteries and solar panels. This setup enables the yacht to sail on the water at 5 knots with no noise or pollution.

“With the Air Yacht, there is a way to sail the sky without emissions damaging the future,” the studio said in a statement.

Lazzarini assures the vessel packs all the features of a typical luxury yacht as well. The central hull comprises a large dining area and living room, along with the master cabin which offers a large ensuite and sprawling panoramic views. To top it off, this hull features a helipad and swimming pool on the roof.

The futuristic superyacht still is equipped with a swimming pool, of course.  Lazzarini Design

The two accompanying airships, meanwhile, can be accessed via four separate bridges and each offer five ensuite staterooms with expansive windows to take in the vistas when in flight.

As for who will pilot the Air Yacht, Lazzarini says the vessel is not intended for “touristic purposes.”

The interior of the Air Yacht is fittingly modern.  Lazzarini Design

“It’s for a private owner who wants both a superyacht and evolution in aviation,” the studio adds.

Like all of Lazzarini’s creations, from the swan-shaped megayacht to the 276-foot superyacht with a giant hole in the superstructure, the Air Yacht will remain a concept until somebody chooses to make it a reality.

Check out more photos below:

Lazzarini Design

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Simple Flying

Bonkers: a look at lazzarini's concept 'air yacht'.

To fly or to sail? That's the question. At least, it was. The futuristic Air Yacht allows you to fly and sail in the most luxurious way possible.

Italians are renowned for being at the forefront of design innovation . The new "Air Yacht" concept, developed by the Italian design studio Pierpaolo Lazzarini, is the latest proof of this incredible capacity. As the name suggests, the new Air Yacht is both a yacht that can sail the sea and a private jet that can fly its owner across the world. Let's have a closer look at this astonishing piece of futuristic design together.

The structure of the Sky Yacht

It might sound like sci-fiction, but it is true. Or, at least, the blueprint is already a reality. The Italian design studio Lazzarini has developed a luxurious and eco-friendly flying yacht. But what would it look like?

Imagine a 150-meter-long vessel connected by four bridges to two side blimps for a total width of 80 meters. Each of the two floating blimps would be divided into hives, or cells, acting as helium compartments. Indeed, when the private owner of the Air Yacht wants to take to the sky, all they have to do is release helium, compressed in tanks, in the two blimps.

On the other hand, when the owner is tired of seeing the world from above, they can decide to sail the sea. Indeed, in the lower part, the two balloons incorporate inflatable bases to allow the Air Yacht to float on the water. The depressurization of helium and its ballast anchor enables the Air Yacht to sail at a speed of five knots.

Four counter-rotating engines of 950 horsepower (hp) each are attached to the outer sides of the blimps. These are powered by ultra-light batteries and solar panels, allowing the Air Yacht to fly at a maximum speed of 60 knots for more than two days straight at zero emissions . Additionally, the entire structure has been designed to be built using carbon fiber, a high-strength and lightweight material.

With the use of helium, lightweight batteries, solar panels for the propulsion of the four engines, and lightweight carbon for the structure, the Air Yacht is at the forefront of sustainable air travel. In a statement, Lazzarini design studio stated:

"With the Air Yacht, there is a way to sail the sky without emissions damaging the future"

The Sky yacht's living spaces

If the external structure of the Air Yacht has the 'wow' factor, wait until you see what's inside...

The central, 80-meter-long, torpedo-shaped structure hosts a spacious living room and a dining room. Four carbon-made bridges, two on each side of the main structure, connect it to the two side blimps. Here, the owner's guests can find ten en-suite staterooms, five in each balloon. All ten suites offer breathtaking 360-degree views. The owner's master cabin, shown in the photo below, is instead located in the Air Yacht's central part, also offering a stunning 360-degree view.

Therefore, the Air Yacht can host up to 22 guests in 11 cabins. On the rooftop, guests will enjoy a swimming pool, while a helipad enables helicopters to take off and land to transfer the owner and their guests to the dry land. Indeed, the Air Yacht's dimensions prevent it from being parked at a marina. Besides the helipad, the Air Yacht also features a retractable staircase, allowing the guests to board a smaller boat to reach the harbor.

The estimated price of the Air Yacht is a whopping $627,511,500. Pierpaolo Lazzarini has promised the private owner who has commissioned the Air Yacht, a German businessman, to have a first-scale model prototype lifted in the air by the end of 2022. Additionally, a series of varying designs with different lengths is in the early phases of the engineering and prototyping process.

Would you like to board this beauty one day? Let us know by clicking on the comment button below!

AIR Feadship

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If you have any questions about the AIR information page below please contact us .

Superyacht AIR is an impressive 81m (265'7'') steel and aluminium vessel, launched by Feadship in 2011. Her exterior design and naval architecture were designed by De Voogt. Feadship motor yacht AIR has an interior designed by Remi Tessier Design and she was built at Koninklijke de Vries Scheepbouw with engineering design by De Vries and De Voogt. She accommodates her 12 guests in 6 roomy staterooms and all of her guest cabins have separate ensuite bathrooms.

AIR’s NOTABLE FEATURES: Great volume ~ fantastic outdoor and interior areas ~ light and sunny interiors ~ contemporary design ~ helicopter pad ~ cinema ~ gymnasiums ~ massage room ~ steam room ~ Jacuzzi ~ swimming pool ~ comprehensive selection of water toys

AIR Specifications

Luxury yacht AIR has her exterior designed by Remi Tessier in conjunction with the yacht’s owners. The artwork has been creatively used to decorate her interior, working harmoniously with the yacht's design.

Air yacht's interior is large and spacious, in the common areas such as saloon and dining room, and these flow naturally outside through the large window and open doorway to similarly generous outdoor entertainment areas on aft and sundeck. At 81 metres in length, and with a beam of 11,6 metres, there is plenty of space on this outstanding vessel.

Yacht Accommodation

Accommodation on board AIR comprises seven beautiful appointed staterooms. The main deck offers a master suite with a king-sized double bed, his and her bathroom with a shower and bath each, as well as his and her dressing room. On the same deck, there is the very spacious VIP suite with a double bed, en suite bathroom with a shower and a bath as well as a dressing area. The bridge deck features two guest staterooms; one to Portside and one to Starboard. The Portside stateroom has a double bed and a shower, while the starboard stateroom has a double bed with a bath and shower. The lower deck boasts further three guest staterooms, including two with a double bed and shower and bath, and one twin stateroom with a dressing area and a shower.

Amenities and Extras

Air disclaimer:.

The luxury yacht AIR displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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“The way we design, is we design fully custom, fully unique yachts, we start with a blank piece of paper and we start asking the client how they use the boat, what they want to do on board, what kind of experience they have but we also want input on what kind of styling they like... It’s about getting to learn about the owner and how they want to use the boat.” - Ronno Schouten, Design Manager of De Voogt Naval Architects

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The best photos of Sailing Yacht A

The  boundary pushing  Sailing Yacht A   is a natural head turner. Delivered in 2017 by German yard Nobiskrug , Sailing Yacht A measures a total of 142.81 metres and is classed as a "sail-assisted motor yacht". BOAT rounds up the best photos of  Sailing Yacht A  from around the world.

Sailing Yacht A on the French Riviera

Here, Sailing Yacht A is pictured arriving in the French Riviera earlier in the 2020 summer season. The yacht was photographed by Julien Hubert.

Sailing Yacht A with the Clipper Amsterdam Stad

This photo shows the contrast between Sailing Yacht A's cutting-edge technology and design and the old world in stark contrast to the traditional clipper Amsterdam Stad . 

Sailing Yacht A in Sardinia

This photo of Sailing Yacht A was taken in Sardinia in 2019 from a tender.

Sailing Yacht A's Stern

Again snapped in Sardinia, Sailing Yacht A's stern, name plate and balcony are clearly visible.

Sailing Yacht A Sets Sail

This is the first known image of Sailing Yacht A with all three of her sails hoisted. Captured in the West Mediterranean, this exclusive image was shot by Carl Groll in May 2017 for TheYachtPhoto.com

Sailing Yacht A Beginning Sea Trials

This image of Sailing Yacht A was shot  in 2015 as the yacht began sea trials. While Sailing Yacht A 's owner Andrey Melnichenko calls her a "sail-assisted motor yacht", she is regarded by many to be the world's largest sailing yacht . 

Aft view of Sailing Yacht A

This photo of  Sailing Yacht A  gives a view of a parts of the yacht that was previously unseen — the aft deck. Much like Andrey Melnichenko's Motor Yacht A , the yacht looks as though there isn't much outdoor space, but seen from behind in this video of Motor Yacht A , the preconceived notion changes. The same can be said for her sailing counterpart. You can see that there are layers of decks that enjoy outdoor space, and the top deck is glassed in, giving a view to the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that might be enjoyed on Sailing Yacht A .

Drone video footage of Sailing Yacht A

One of the best photos of Sailing Yacht A to arise when she went out on sea trials was this shot taken from a drone video. From this angle, we get a great view of the foredeck of Sailing Yacht A and the outdoor living spaces here, which hadn't been seen before.

Sailing Yacht A Launched

Sailing Yacht A was still covered up when it was launched but it was still a treat to those who had been following her build to get a glimpse of the hull shape. Sailing Yacht A 's accommodation is spread out over eight decks and includes accommodation for a total of 54 crew.

Sailing Yacht A's Masts Arriving

Sailing Yacht A boasts the tallest carbon masts in the world, each measuring in at more than 90 metres long. The masts were built by Magma Structures in Portsmouth, UK, and this photo shows the masts being delivered to their home on board the new superyacht. The masts host sails that are larger than a football field.

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It was I-5, not air, for Miramar military planes

Aircraft make journey from Marine base to new home in O.C. at Great Park

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A Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and a Chinese-made MIG 15 traveling the 5 Freeway caused some excitement and lots of rubbernecking from motorists this week.

The convoy of trailers drove 85 miles on Tuesday from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to the planes’ future home at the Irvine’s Great Park.

The three military aircraft are the first of 40 to “land” at Hangar 297, a renovated hangar that was once part of Marine Corps Airstation El Toro and, during its heyday, was the home of an aerial tanker transport squadron.

The aircraft are all Marine fixed-wing or rotary, and as they arrive over the next few months will be stored at the hangar, where restoration work will be done for the next two years in preparation for the opening of the new Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in early 2026.

“The Marines have landed and have the situation well in hand,” said retired Gen. Mike Aguilar, CEO and president of the museum, using a quote made famous by correspondent Richard Harding Davis. “It’s a milestone for us of nearly two years working with the city of Irvine and the Marine Corps getting these aircraft transported.”

Once the museum is completed, the aircraft and other artifacts and exhibits will become a tribute to Southern California Marine aviation history that marked its 100th milestone in 2022. The museum – planned as a 100,000-square-foot facility that will be built close to the old hangar – is a private-public partnership between the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation, the city of Irvine and the Marine Corps.

In 2020, the Marine Corps announced plans to close the museum at MCAS Miramar because of a lack of funding. While most of the costs to operate and maintain the museum were funded by the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation, the aircraft and facilities belonged to the Navy and Marine Corps.

With the impending closure, the foundation’s board of directors considered other locations. The city of Irvine reached out about the possibility of locating the aviation museum at the Great Park, which is slowly replacing part of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.

That base was the original home of the aviation museum when it was active in the late 1980s. When El Toro was shuttered in 1999, the aircraft and artifacts of Marine aviation were moved to a command museum at Miramar.

For two years, the aircrafts – including the CH-46 helicopter that evacuated the American ambassador and flag from the roof of the embassy during the fall of Saigon in 1975 – have been sitting outdoors at Miramar.

Because of that, each plane coming to the Great Pak museum is in various stages of renovation. Among the three that arrived on Tuesday, Aguilar said the F/A-18 Hornet is 80% restored. The T-34, a plane used by Navy pilots as a trainer, and the MIG need 100% restoration.

The other planes still at Miramar, including an Iraqi Bell 214 that was a war prize from the Gulf War captured by the 1st Marine division– also need a huge amount of work – it’s all expected to take about two years.

“All the paint on the aircraft needs to be redone,” Aguilar said. “We need to clean up the cockpits and the landing gears. For two years since the museum was closed, they’ve never been touched.”

By mid-March, restoration should be underway in Hangar 297. The foundation has completed its loan agreement with the Marine Corps for the aircraft and has a pre-development agreement with Irvine to begin using the hangar and a final lease agreement for the museum is expected to be finalized later this month, Aguilar said.

In the meantime, the foundation has been prepping the Irvine hangar to receive the aircraft.

“We’ve been making repairs, including working on the electricity and fire suppression,” Aguilar said. “We’ve also installed security measures and a monitoring system.”

When the three planes arrived at the hangar at the Great Park, they were met by a cheering crowd welcoming them to their new home.

For Aguilar, a retired pilot who flew Cobras in the Marines for decades, the experience of following the three large trucks up the freeway was an “emotional, thrilling experience.”

“It was like a parent seeing their child go back home to its original place at El Toro and now the Great Park,” he said.

In the caravan, Agular said the F-18 led the way, adding that it is “such an impressive aircraft.” The Marines still use the fighter jet, but it is slowly being phased out and replaced by the F-35.

Retired Marine Col. Charlie Quilter, an F-4 Phantom pilot and foundation board member, is also overjoyed that physical progress on the museum is moving forward.

“As a Marine aviator and historian, my heart soars like an eagle at this moment,” he said. “Marine aviation has many chapters of heroism and innovation. This museum, with its unique collection of aircraft, artifacts, curated archive, and experimental exhibits, will tell the story well, I think, but it is also a story of California and Orange County.”

Quilter said that beyond the fascinating and heroic history of Marine aviation, there are many other benefits the museum will bring, including playing a role in aerospace technical education with Orange Coast College.

“They need aircraft to work on,” he said, “and Flying Leathernecks has got ’em.”

Ritchie writes for the Orange County Register.

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Soon they’ll orbit the moon. First, these astronauts are working with the San Diego-based Navy team who’ll welcome them back to Earth.

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Nellis Air Force Base host 2024 Air Force and Marine Corps Trials opening ceremony

by News 3 Staff

Las Vegas (KSNV) — The U.S. Air Force's Wounded Warrior Program hosted the opening ceremony for the 2024 Air Force and Marine Corps Trials Friday morning.

The trials are a paralympic-style competition featuring sports adapted for wounded warrior athletes.

MORE ON NEWS 3 | Las Vegas hosts third 'Largest Baby Shower' for needy families with donor benefits

Each athlete is competing to earn a slot to go on to represent their branches at the 2024 Department of Defense Warrior Games.

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Few women are trying for elite special operations roles, new data shows

In the eight years since the Pentagon opened previously closed special operations jobs to women, just four have entered the training pipeline to become a Navy SEAL.

Only 17 women have attempted Marine Raider training in that same timeline. None of those applicants went on to secure a position on a SEAL or Raider team.

That’s according to new data compiled by the military services at the request of the Pentagon-appointed Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services.

The information provides a rare snapshot into military efforts to breach what is effectively the last frontier of gender integration: the elite and physically demanding units that operate in secrecy and conduct the most complex and high-stakes missions.

Why getting more female troops into Special Operations will take time

As recently released data from the military services has shown, the participation of women in elite special operations roles remains a rarity..

Data shows some services have had more success than others in attracting female candidates for special operations.

In the Air Force, 54 women have entered training to join the special tactics, combat rescue and pararescue, tactical air control party and special reconnaissance career fields since 2016, with a handful successfully completing training and joining units.

Today, the Air Force has one female special tactics officer and one officer and two female enlisted tactical air control party airmen. The data also reveals for the first time that the Air Force quietly welcomed its first female enlisted special reconnaissance airman in 2022.

The Army has seen 41 women volunteer for Special Forces assessment and selection ― the first phase of the service’s Special Forces Qualification Course, also known as the “Q” Course.

Three female soldiers have graduated from the Q Course, earning the coveted Green Beret, and received assignments in Special Forces groups, according to service data. One female soldier, at the time of the data compilation, was currently attempting the course.

And in the Navy, a few women have entered special operations via the combatant craft crewman boat teams. Data shows nine women have entered the pipeline for small boats, and two have graduated and are currently serving on teams.

For U.S Special Operations Command, which oversees the services but does not conduct recruiting efforts, bringing more women to the table is not a neutral proposition, according to Gen. Bryan Fenton, Special Operations Command commander.

“Strong teams are diverse,” Fenton told Military Times in a statement. “Diversity of thought, education, experiences, culture, gender, race, and creed … all provide value to special operations.”

Fenton added that the number of uniformed women serving in special operations ― including those in operator and support roles ― has increased significantly in recent years. The overall proportion of women in special operations forces has ramped up from 7.9% in 2016 to 12% in 2023, officials said.

“To ensure that U.S. Special Operations Command draws upon the widest pool of talent,” Fenton said, “the SOF Enterprise has continued to progress in supporting women’s ability to join, serve, and advance within the SOF community, including among our most elite units.”

These efforts vary in approach and specificity from service to service.

Information provided by Special Operations Command specifically cited the Army’s Women in Army Special Operations Forces study, the results of which were first reported by Army Times and pointed to a need for greater cultural acceptance of women as well as practical considerations including better-fitting equipment and accessible child care.

Officials also pointed to a 2023 Naval Special Warfare initiative that expanded the number of female instructor billets from four to 11 at Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command and Naval Special Warfare Assessment Command in Coronado, California, “to normalize the presence of women in the training pipeline.”

As the service with the fewest female operator candidates, the Navy has also made “a concerted effort” in recent social media postings and website material to get the word out about opportunities to potentially qualified candidates, officials said.

Naval Special Warfare spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Chelsea Irish further expanded on these efforts.

Since 2016, the command has “significantly enhanced” recruitment, she said. That has included standing up a Naval Special Warfare Assessment Command focused on national outreach in 2022.

In 2023, she said, that new command organized 40 events across the country and brought diverse groups, including female athletes, on visits to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California. A Naval Special Warfare Assessment Command digital campaign featured NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan, she said.

It’s not yet clear how effective these measures are. Between 2022 and 2023, three women attempted combatant craft crewman training and one entered SEAL training, data shows.

“As (Naval Special Warfare) continues to develop a dynamic and capable force ready to take on the demands of strategic competition, we do so together with inclusive teams that benefit from unique experiences and perspectives,” Irish said.

The Marine Corps, which unlike the other services draws all its Raider critical skills operators and officers from the population of currently serving Marines, has held steady on its recruiting approach, according to Maj. Timothy Irish, a Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, spokesman.

Irish said the command’s recruiting team engages with 100% of eligible enlisted women before holding screening events, and sends “awareness” cards to all boot camp and Officer Candidate School attendees.

“We believe our efforts to make 100% contact with the eligible officer and enlisted population of female Marines is the answer,” Irish said. “MARSOC has made a concerted effort to address existing recruiting ads, videos, and other materials to include images of women.”

While 17 women have attempted Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command assessment and selection, none have progressed to the command’s Individual Training Course, which formally begins the Raider training pipeline. Interest in opportunities at the command may be increasing: Between 2022 and 2023, seven women attempted assessment and selection, more than in the previous three years.

The Air Force, which saw a peak of 14 women entering the special operations training pipeline in 2021 and had 10 pipeline entries over the past two years, credits its relative success in recruiting female candidates in part to grassroots efforts including the airman-led Air Force Special Operations Command Women’s Initiative Team, which identifies barriers to service and presents solutions.

Among efforts spearheaded by this team include policies allowing Bluetooth-enabled breast pumps in secure spaces and on aircraft, and advanced bladder relief devices on Air Force Special Operations Command planes to allow female airmen to urinate in comfort, said spokeswoman Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse.

Heyse acknowledged the women already serving on elite teams, including two officers and three enlisted airmen.

One of those officers was the subject of a 2022 controversy after a leaked letter alleged she had quit training and been offered the chance to return, counter to service policy. An Air Force inspector general probe found the candidate did not receive preferential treatment, and the incident resulted in clarifications to training policy.

“For (operations security) purposes, we do not discuss young operators, male or female, in detail to make sure we preserve all future developmental and assignment possibilities,” Heyse said. “These women will develop as operators at the units and when the time comes ― probably in a couple of years ― we’ll be able to talk about them more.”

Of all the services, the Army perhaps has been the most aggressive in working to attract women to special operations.

While just 41 women have attempted Special Forces assessment and selection, another 916 have attempted assessment and selection for civil affairs and psychological operations, which also fall under Army Special Operations.

U.S. Army Special Operations Command spokesman Col. Mike Burns pointed to the command’s Women in Army Special Operations Forces Initiative, which identifies opportunities to create equitable policies.

During a partnered event with the XVIII Airborne Corps, Burns said, the group collected size measurements from female soldiers to assist with the creation of better-fitting future uniforms.

The event, he said, resulted in 50 new leads for women interested in learning more about Army Special Operations Forces opportunities. United States Army Special Operations Command Command Sergeant Major, JoAnn Nauman, also plans to engage with women during an upcoming command visit to West Point during a physical training session, an address to the women’s lacrosse team and a leadership panel, Burns said.

In 2022 and 2023, 10 female soldiers attempted Army Special Forces assessment and selection. The highest enrollment year was fiscal year 2019, with 19 candidates.

“The unique talents and attributes allow the command to defend the nation without fear, without fail, without equal,” Burns said. “Together we will continue to provide the nation’s premier special operations element by attracting and retaining America’s top soldiers.”

Hope Hodge Seck is an award-winning investigative and enterprise reporter covering the U.S. military and national defense. The former managing editor of Military.com, her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, Politico Magazine, USA Today and Popular Mechanics.

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ISRAEL 'AWARE' OF AIRDROP

Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Nandita Bose; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Michelle Nichols; Editing by Rami Ayyub, William Maclean, Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio

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Thomson Reuters

Phil Stewart has reported from more than 60 countries, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China and South Sudan. An award-winning Washington-based national security reporter, Phil has appeared on NPR, PBS NewsHour, Fox News and other programs and moderated national security events, including at the Reagan National Defense Forum and the German Marshall Fund. He is a recipient of the Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence and the Joe Galloway Award.

National security correspondent focusing on the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Reports on U.S. military activity and operations throughout the world and the impact that they have. Has reported from over two dozen countries to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, Asia and Europe. From Karachi, Pakistan.

China says more Indian troops at Himalayan border won't ease tensions

China believes that India's move to add more troops at their disputed border is "not conducive to easing tensions", a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

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Russian oligarch's yacht is costing U.S. taxpayers close to $1 million a month

A mega-yacht seized by U.S. authorities from a Russian oligarch is costing the government nearly $1 million a month to maintain, according to new court filings.

• The Justice Department is seeking permission to sell Amadea, which it seized in 2022, alleging that it was owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.
• Attorneys for Eduard Khudainatov, an ex-Rosneft CEO who has not been sanctioned, say he owns the yacht, and have sought to take back possession of the vessel.

The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking permission to sell a 348-foot yacht called Amadea, which it seized in 2022, alleging that it was owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov. The government said it wants to sell the $230 million yacht due to the "excessive costs" of maintenance and crew, which it said could total $922,000 a month.

"It is excessive for taxpayers to pay nearly a million dollars per month to maintain the Amadea when these expenses could be reduced to zero through [a] sale," according to a court filing by U.S. prosecutors on Friday.

The monthly charges for Amadea, which is now docked in San Diego, California, include $600,000 per month in running costs: $360,000 for the crew; $75,000 for fuel; and $165,000 for maintenance, waste removal, food and other expenses. They also include $144,000 in monthly pro-rata insurance costs and special charges including dry-docking fees, at $178,000, bringing the total to $922,000, according to the filings.

Sign up to receive future editions of  CNBC's Inside Wealth newsletter  with Robert Frank.

The battle over Amadea and the costs to the government highlight the financial and legal challenges of seizing and selling assets owned by Russian oligarchs after the country's invasion of Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week that the European Union should use profits from more than $200 billion of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort.

Her comments echoed government calls in the spring of 2022 to freeze the yachts, private jets and mansions of Russian billionaires in hopes of putting pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and raising money for the war effort.

Yet, nearly two years later, the legal process for proving ownership of the Russian assets and selling them has proven to be far more time-consuming and costly. In London, Russian billionaire Eugene Shvidler has waged a court battle over his private jets that were impounded, and Sergei Naumenko has been appealing the detention of his superyacht Phi.

The battle over Amadea began in April 2022, when it was seized in Fiji at the request of the U.S. government, according to the court filings.

Though the U.S. alleges that the yacht is owned by Kerimov, who made his fortune in mining, attorneys for Eduard Khudainatov, an ex-Rosneft CEO who has not been sanctioned, say he owns the yacht, and have sought to take back possession of the vessel.

In court filings, Khudainatov's attorneys have objected to the U.S. government's efforts to sell the yacht, saying a rushed sale could lead to a distressed sale price and that the maintenance costs are minor relative to the potential sale value.

Khudainatov's attorneys refuse to pay the ongoing maintenance costs as long as the government pursues a sale and forfeiture. However, they say their client will reimburse the U.S. government for the more than $20 million already spent to maintain the yacht if it's returned to its proper owner.

In court papers, the government says Kerimov disguised his ownership of Amadea through a series of shell companies and other owners. They say emails between crew members show Kerimov "was the beneficial owner of the yacht, irrespective of the titleholder of the vessel."

The emails show that Kerimov and his family ordered several interior improvements of the yacht, including a new pizza oven and spa, and that between 2021 and 2022, when the boat was seized, "there were no guest trips on the Amadea that did not include either Kerimov or his family members," according to the court filings.

The government also says Kerimov has been trying to sell Amadea for years, so a sale would be in keeping with his intent.

"This is not a situation in which a court would be ordering sale of a precious heirloom that a claimant desperately wishes to keep for sentimental reasons," the government said in filings.

Even if Amadea were sold quickly, the proceeds wouldn't automatically go to the government. Under law, the money would be held while Khudainatov and the government continue their battle in court over the ownership and forfeiture. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO:

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Air Show Report : MAKS 2005 Moscow International Aviation & Space Salon

Report and photos by Andrew Philpott ( view portfolio )

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