The United States Navy has awarded Castelion a $105 million contract to advance integration of its Blackbeard hypersonic missile with the F/A-18, aiming to equip carrier-based aircraft with cost-effective, stand-off strike capabilities for future high-intensity warfare.
Under the agreement, Castelion will carry out safety certification, flight trials, and integration work tailored to carrier operations, while progressing the system toward Early Operational Capability by 2027. Blackbeard is designed as a long-range hypersonic glide or booster-assisted weapon, offering rapid response and enhanced survivability against advanced air defense systems.
To speed up development and prototyping, an additional $50 million contract was awarded in February, with completion expected by November 2027.
The program follows reports that Blackbeard has been selected for the Navy’s Multi-Mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) initiative, which aims to procure approximately 4,500 air-launched hypersonic missiles over five years. Initial procurement is set at 353 units in FY2027, with annual quantities increasing significantly in subsequent years.
MACE is intended to deliver a lower-cost alternative to systems like the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), which exceeds $3 million per unit. In contrast, Blackbeard is estimated at around $300,000, enabling higher-volume deployment and greater operational flexibility.
Beyond the F/A-18, the missile is also being designed for internal carriage on F-35A and F-35C aircraft, with capacity for up to four rounds. It is expected to feature a 75-pound warhead, advanced terminal guidance for engaging moving targets, and a production capacity of at least 500 units annually.
