Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The REGENT Craft Squire autonomous amphibious drone took part in 13-day Silent Swarm military exercises in Michigan, where electronic warfare measures were practiced alongside other US Army unmanned systems.
What happened at the Silent Swarm exercises Silent Swarm exercises took place from 13 to 24 July on the North Lower Peninsula of Michigan and at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, where combined ranges, airspace, and waterways were involved. The main focus was on operations in the electromagnetic spectrum: testing how small multi-domain unmanned systems can employ radar, communications, navigation, infrared, and directed-energy signals - and how to defend against them. The Squire drone operated with various payloads throughout all 13 days, testing roles of electronic attack, electronic protection, and signals intelligence. REGENT noted receiving feedback from military and civilian specialists of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy. Also read: Latvian sea drones FOG and RAY go into serial production: what Ukraine needs to know What the Squire drone can do The Squire belongs to a class of devices that REGENT calls Seaglider USA-V - an ekranoplan that flies within the wings’ span over the water surface, below the direct-radar coverage zone. According to the company, the platform can reach speeds of up to 70 knots, has an intended range of over 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers), and can carry a configurable payload of up to 23 kg. REGENT promotes Squire for reconnaissance, surveillance, point logistics, search-and-rescue operations, and anti-ship warfare. View this post on Instagram The post shared by REGENT (@regentcraft) The aircraft’s first flight occurred in April - according to the company, this was the first U.S. military-purpose flight test of a combat ekranoplan. Earlier this year REGENT also conducted live rescue and logistics missions with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, including hoisting a litter at a pier, shoreline evacuation, and rescue from a life raft at sea - testing the platform for medical evacuation and casualty evacuation. The company has a contract worth 15 million dollars with the Marine Corps, and has formal cooperation agreements with the U.S. Special Operations Command and the Coast Guard Research and Development Center. REGENT has signed defense agreements with partners on four continents, but did not disclose when Squire might reach operational deployment.
The topic of unmanned marine and surrounding-water platforms has recently been actively developing: earlier it was reported that the Latvian manufacturer NEWT21 moved sea drones FOG and RAY from prototype stage to serial production, and the U.S. Central Command is creating the first multinational contingent of multipurpose unmanned strike platforms of all types with participation from several allied countries.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Літає над водою, ховається від радарів: у США випробували дрон-амфібію нового типу (відео)". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: RBC-Ukraine.