Castelion has announced new integration awards from the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy to advance its Blackbeard ground-launched hypersonic missile family. The company plans live-fire demonstrations in the coming months to accelerate testing and operational adoption. The initiative is being executed under a two-phase Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) rapid prototype program, designed to deliver affordable, mass-producible hypersonic rounds that can be fired from HIMARS and related launch platforms.
The Army and Navy contracts focus on integrating the Blackbeard missile across operational launch systems, including rapid adaptation to existing fire control and launcher architectures. According to Castelion, the weapon has already undergone over 20 successful developmental test flights, demonstrating performance consistency and manufacturability. The company aims to bridge the gap between prototype and fieldable systems, emphasizing scalability and low-cost production as central goals.
Blackbeard represents a next-generation ground-launched hypersonic strike weapon, now listed in the U.S. Army’s FY2026 budget as “HX3, All Up Round and Canister.” The missile is equipped with an advanced seeker for precision strikes against time-sensitive and fortified targets, offering a significant cost advantage compared to legacy hypersonic systems.
Initial integration will leverage modified Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) pods and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) fire control interface. This approach enables HIMARS-based demonstrations while dedicated launcher hardware continues to mature, ensuring that the Blackbeard program rapidly transitions from testing to operational capability within the U.S. defense ecosystem.
