The contract, issued through the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation (PAE(A)), tasks Castelion with the full lifecycle of the weapon, including assembly, testing, and delivery. Unlike traditional defense procurement cycles, the Blackbeard program emphasizes industrial-rate output by utilizing commercial manufacturing techniques and vertical integration. This strategy aims to maintain strict control over costs and production schedules from raw material procurement to the final finished round.
Castelion Secures $200 Million Navy Contract for Blackbeard Missiles
The U.S. Navy has awarded Castelion a production contract worth up to $200 million for its Blackbeard hypersonic weapon system. This order marks a rapid transition from prototype development to fleet-wide manufacturing, following an initial procurement of 50 units earlier this year to bolster carrier-based long-range strike capabilities.
Castelion CEO Bryon Hargis noted that the shift to production validates the company’s focus on clearing bureaucratic hurdles to deliver hardware to the fleet with urgency. The weapon is designed for both maritime and land-based targets, providing naval aviation with an expanded lethal reach. Production will take place at the company’s 1,000-acre Project Ranger campus in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and its existing facility in Torrance, California. This award follows a series of integration contracts with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force, supported by significant private investment.
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