The U.S. Navy has issued a production delivery order worth up to $200 million to Castelion for the Blackbeard hypersonic strike weapon, transitioning the air-launched system from prototype status to an initial fleet production run.
The contract was awarded by Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation through its Future Capability Development and Integration Aviation Rapid Capabilities Cell. It follows a June agreement for 50 early prototype rounds, known as Early Operational Capability units, alongside associated shipping and storage containers.
Designed for deployment on carrier-based aircraft, Blackbeard provides naval aviation with a long-range, high-speed strike option capable of engaging targets on land and at sea. According to the company, the weapon is intended to increase magazine depth across carrier air wings without requiring additional launch platforms.
“The Navy’s decision to move into production reflects its confidence in the Blackbeard program, and the progress we’ve made together,” said Bryon Hargis, co-founder and CEO of Castelion. “That’s how you get capability to the fleet fast, clear red tape, and partner with industry. We are grateful to PAE(A) for the trust and the urgency. Blackbeard was engineered from day one for the production line and we look forward to delivering this capability to the fleet.”
Development of the missile has involved coordination with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force, backed by private investment. Integration efforts began in late 2025 to adapt the weapon for carriage on F/A-18 Super Hornets, encompassing hardware and software integration, flight testing, and airworthiness certifications.
Manufacturing for the new order will be split between Castelion’s headquarters facility in Torrance, California, and Project Ranger, a 1,000-acre industrial campus located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The company utilizes a vertically integrated manufacturing model centered on commercial techniques to maintain control over supply chain costs, quality, and production schedules.
Neither the Navy nor Castelion has disclosed the exact quantity of production rounds included in the $200 million ceiling or specified a final delivery schedule for the initial lot.
