Electric Seaglider Developer REGENT Unveils New Defense Division
New vessels aim to boost U.S. defense capabilities and create high-tech manufacturing jobs.
(Detroit, MI) REGENT Craft, a Rhode Island-based maker of high-speed electric Seaglider vessels, has launched a new defense division to build hybrid, military versions of its seacraft; the announcement came yesterday (July 16) during the Reindustrialize summit in Detroit and follows REGENT’s $10 billion commercial backlog and growing partnerships with the U.S. military.
Rendering of a South China Sea-based Regent defense vessel courtesy of REGENT Craft.
According to REGENT’s press release, the new Seagliders are designed to fly just above the water, staying below radar and above sonar, making them ideal for missions like search and rescue and launching uncrewed systems.
The defense version of Regent’s base commercial spec, all-electric Viceroy models is comprised of a new product line of Seagliders that includes a hybrid version for significant range extension (1,600 miles) and fully autonomous capabilities leveraging Regent’s tripe-redundant software control system.
Additionally, a smaller, quarter-scale Squire model – which can autonomously deliver 50 lbs of payload with open water operations – will also be part of Regent’s defense product line.
“REGENT is proud to be a dual-use company, and we’re committed to advancing our REGENT Defense work to equip the American warfighter with an urgently needed mobility solution that gives the U.S. and our allies a strategic edge,” said Billy Thalheimer, Co-Founder and CEO of REGENT. “At the same time, we’re helping to revitalize American manufacturing by building these vessels here at home, creating high-tech jobs and restoring American competitiveness on the global stage.”
REGENT is working closely with the U.S. Marine Corps under a $10 million contract, and also with U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“We’re building platforms engineered for maritime defense operations in contested and logistically complex maritime environments,” said Tom Huntley, General Manager of REGENT Defense. “Their unique combination of speed, range, and low signature enables mission success while providing a low-cost, scalable solution to deter conflict and enhance operational readiness.”
Backed by more than $100 million in funding from investors like Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Japan Airlines, and Founders Fund, REGENT says its dual-use approach is not only supporting national defense but also bringing advanced manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.
