REGENT Craft has expanded its collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab by another $5 million, taking the total value of the electric seaglider programme to $19.25 million. The Rhode Island company’s Viceroy prototype and its defence mission integration effort remain at the centre of the work, which is aimed at operationally relevant demonstrations and command-and-control integration in Narragansett Bay and related maritime environments.
The latest phase follows earlier stages that first validated the concept’s technical feasibility and then moved into full-scale prototype demonstrations. Reporting on the new phase indicates six deliverables, with the Marines continuing to examine the platform for rapid transport, casualty evacuation and other littoral missions. The additional funding comes after earlier contract values of $4.75 million and $9.5 million for prior phases.
REGENT has recently carried out public testing and flight activity of the Viceroy in Narragansett Bay, reinforcing the company’s push to position seagliders as a dual-use maritime mobility option. The new phase does not include a disclosed timetable, and the company has not detailed where all demonstrations will take place.