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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

7 clusters · 33 sources · 69 days · First seen 3 months ago · Last updated 15 days ago

Castelion Blackbeard hypersonic missile development

Overview

Defense startup Castelion has moved toward scaling the production and testing of its Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile. In August 2026, the company secured $1.05 billion in Series C financing to expand its manufacturing capabilities at the Project Ranger facility in New Mexico. This funding aims to support the mass production of low-cost hypersonic weapons to address U.S. defense gaps. By September 2026, the U.S. Navy advanced the program by conducting tests of the Blackbeard missile using F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets. The missile is designed for both air-launch and ground-launch configurations, including compatibility with HIMARS. Through a contract valued at up to $200 million, the Navy seeks to increase magazine depth for carrier strike groups, with a production goal of 50 missiles by August 2028 and early operational capability targeted for 2027. In mid-September 2026, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory increased its funding for Castelion by $16.4 million, bringing the total value of that specific agreement to $37.2 million. This contract is scheduled to continue through June 30, 2028. On September 25 and 28, 2026, the Navy released flight test footage of the Blackbeard integrated with an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The missile, which is intended to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, may be capable of striking targets at ranges of approximately 500 miles (800 kilometers). As part of the Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program, Castelion secured a $43.65 million deal for the first production lot of 444 missiles. The Navy has expressed interest in procuring up to 12,000 Blackbeard missiles over a five-year period to bolster carrier-based strike capabilities. In early October 2026, the Navy released new operational images from a flight test at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.

Entities

Castelion · Blackbeard · U.S. Navy · Air Force Research Laboratory · US Navy

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Castelion received a contract extension from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Blackbeard missile is designed to reach speeds greater than Mach 5.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Blackbeard program includes integration with the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Castelion intends to manufacture the Blackbeard missile in large series at a lower cost than other US hypersonic systems.

Timeline

15 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
Castelion to integrate Blackbeard hypersonic missile with F-16
Castelion is expanding its Blackbeard hypersonic missile program to include integration with the F-16 Fighting Falcon, aiming for mass-produced, low-cost hypersonic capabilities.
about 1 month ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
US Navy tests Blackbeard hypersonic missile integration with F/A-18
The US Navy tested the integration of the Blackbeard hypersonic missile with the F/A-18 Super Hornet at Patuxent River to prepare for carrier-based deployment by 2027.
about 1 month ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
U.S. Navy tests Blackbeard hypersonic missile on Super Hornet
The U.S. Navy has successfully flight-tested the Castelion Blackbeard hypersonic missile on an F/A-18 Super Hornet, targeting operational capability by 2027-2028.
about 2 months ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 7 sources
US Navy tests Blackbeard hypersonic missile on F/A-18 Super Hornet
The US Navy has demonstrated the first flight tests of the Blackbeard hypersonic missile mounted on F/A-18 Super Hornets, aiming for operational use by 2028 via the MACE program.
about 2 months ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
Castelion receives increased funding for Blackbeard hypersonic missile
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory increased funding for Castelion's ‘Blackbeard’ hypersonic missile project to $37.2 million, focusing on large-scale industrial production.
about 2 months ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
US Navy tests Castelion Blackbeard hypersonic missile on F/A-18 Super Hornets
The US Navy is testing Castelion’s Blackbeard hypersonic missile on F/A-18 Super Hornets, aiming for affordable, mass-produced long-range strike capabilities by 2027.
3 months ago

[BUSINESS] 11 sources
Castelion raises $1 billion to scale hypersonic missile production
Defense startup Castelion raised $1 billion in Series C funding at a $13 billion valuation to mass-produce its Blackbeard hypersonic missile and expand its weapons portfolio.

Sources

actualidad.rt.com · aerotime.aero · agcnews.eu · aijourn.com · businessam.be · defence-industry.eu · defence24.pl · dvidshub.net · finance.technews.tw · fr.businessam.be · indomiliter.com · interestingengineering.com · milmag.pl · nemesishd.gr · news.crunchbase.com · novini247.com · ordu.az · oruzjeonline.com · pulse2.com · slashgear.com · sofx.com · soha.vn · space24.pl · spacenews.com · spidersweb.pl · theNEXTweb.com · tvfront.rs · tvn.com.ar · twz.com · visithoustontexas.com · vivoverde.com.br · vosveteit.zoznam.sk · zonanews.bg

This summary has been updated 5 times: see revision history