Castelion Blackbeard

Blackbeard is a Castelion hypersonic weapon with air-launched production authorized by the U.S. Navy and a separate ground-launched development effort described in the Army's FY2027 budget; Castelion targets Navy fielding in 2027, conflicting with a 2026 EOC target reported by USNI News.

Overview

The U.S. Navy authorized production of air-launched Blackbeard in September 2026, covering manufacture, assembly, testing and delivery of an initial lot. The Department of War's 14 September contract notice specifies 444 All-Up Rounds, following its 11 June order for 50 early operational capability (EOC) pre-production prototypes and 50 containers. Blackbeard is associated with the Navy's Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program, Defense Archives reported after obtaining confirmation from the Navy. The Army's FY2027 budget describes Blackbeard GL as a separate ground-launched development effort.

A Navy Super Hornet carried two Blackbeard test articles at Patuxent River on 18 September 2026 without releasing or live-firing either article, PAE Aviation stated. Castelion published a container-launch image on 8 October 2026 that The War Zone identified as Blackbeard leaving a truck-mounted ground launcher; neither disclosed the launch's actual date or measured performance. Castelion targets Navy fielding in 2027, while USNI News reported a 2026 EOC target on 7 October, leaving the published schedules in conflict. The Department of War's production notice sets September 2028 as the production order's work-completion date, which does not resolve the fielding-date discrepancy.

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